Reds make brutal roster move after Speedway Classic delay and fans are furious

The Cincinnati Reds were put in somewhat of a bind following the suspension of the Speedway Classic on Saturday night at the Bristol Motor Speedway. Consistent rain forced the game to be paused in the bottom of the first inning. With Chase Burns having thrown just one inning — and presumably unavailable to pitch when the game restarts on Sunday afternoon — Cincinnati needed reinforcements.

In a move that's sure to upset the majority of Reds fans, Cincinnati recalled Lyon Richardson and optioned Will Benson to Triple-A. Richardson was appointed as the additional player for today's game — teams are able to carry 27 players for the Speedway Classic — and he'll likely return to the minors after the game.

This is not the news that Reds fans wanted to hear. Though it's certainly understandable that Cincinnati needed an extra arm for what's likely to be a bullpen game on Sunday, losing Benson takes away one of the Reds' most impactful bats.

Reds demote Will Benson after Speedway Classic weather delay

Benson's two-run home run on Friday afternoon gave the Reds a three-run edge over the Atlanta Braves and helped Cincinnati win by the final score of 3-2. The outfielder took over in center field for TJ Friedl while he was away on paternity leave, and flashed the leather on several occasions last week.

Several Reds fans were hoping that his displays of power and defense last week would be enough to maintain a roster spot following the trade deadline shakeup. Unfortunately, the Reds front office and manager Terry Francona prefer to keep backup infielder Santiago Espinal on the active roster.

While Espinal is sure to catch some flack from the Reds' fanbase, Francona has shown a great deal of faith and trust in the former All-Star this season. Espinal is a versatile defender, and with both Connor Joe and Christian Encarnacion-Strand down in Louisville, is the backup to Spencer Steer at first base. He's also a contact hitter who rarely strikes out; something Francona values.

It's quite likely that Benson will find his way back to the big leagues at some point later this season. At the moment, however, the Reds fanbase is not in a forgiving mood. If you have any questions about that, just take a look at the comments linked to the Reds' social media post on X.

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