Reds may finally need to accept the truth about Will Benson (and that's a good thing)

Who is Will Benson? That's a question that the Cincinnati Reds front office (and fans) have been asking ever since he arrived to the Queen City in 2023. Benson is arguably the most polarizing player on the entire Reds roster, and despite the highest of the highs and the lowest of lows, he always brings energy to the ballpark. He did more than that during the ninth inning on Tuesday.

With the Reds trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth — both runs coming via solo home runs off the bat of Spencer Steer — manager Terry Francona went to his bench and used Benson as a pinch hitter in lieu of the struggling Matt McLain to lead off the inning against Kansas City Royals closer Lucas Erceg.

Benson sent a 1-1 changeup from Erceg screaming over the wall in right field to tie the game at 3-3. An exuberant Benson circled the bases in record time and quickly headed down the steps to celebrate with his teammates in the dugout. The game-tying homer pushed the game into extra innings, and Cincinnati won in walk-off fashion thanks to a Blake Dunn RBI single in the 10th.

Benson has been one of the most oft-criticized players on the Reds' roster this season. He earned his way onto the Opening Day roster, but failed to find his footing in the starting lineup, and has become little more than a bench piece for the Reds this season. And you know what? That's okay!

Will Benson is exactly who the Reds need him to be right now

After watching Benson explode onto the scene in 2023, Reds fans had visions of that All-Star caliber outfielder the Cincinnati faithful hadn't seen since Jay Bruce was traded. During his first year with the organization, Benson hit .275/.365/.498 with 11 home runs, 31 RBI, 19 stolen bases, and a 128 wRC+.

Since that time, however, Benson has compiled a meager .201/.280/.394 slash line with a 33.9% strikeout rate and an 81 wRC+. Those aren't All-Star worthy stats, and they're barely enough to justify a spot on the 26-man roster. Yet Benson has done just enough this season to avoid a return to the minor leagues; and that's probably for the best.

Benson is a role player. And while you can't comprise your whole team of those types of players, having a handful of them can certainly benefit the ball club throughout the season. Players like Benson, Spencer Steer, Blake Dunn, and Nathaniel Lowe have shown an ability to adapt to an ever-changing roster, and carve out niche roles that can help the Reds win games.

Benson has shown increased patience at the plate this season, as evidenced by his 15.5% walk rate. He has game-breaking speed (28.8 ft/ sec), and can play all three outfield spots. He's also willing to accept his role as a pinch hitter, pinch runner, late-inning defensive replacement, or platoon bat. Teams need those types of players in order to be successful over the course of a 162-game season.

No, Benson is unlikely to ever ascend to those lofty goals Reds fans set for him after his breakout season in 2023. But that doesn't mean that he doesn't have value, and he showed exactly what he can bring to the table during Tuesday night's come-from-behind win.

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