Reds were one trade away from saving Will Benson’s roster spot

Before the restart of Sunday's Speedway Classic, the Cincinnati Reds made the unpopular (but expected) decision to option outfielder Will Benson back to Triple-A Louisville. Benson's raw tools and passion for the game have made him somewhat of a fan-favorite among the Reds fanbase, and the Cincinnati faithful were none to pleased when the news broke that he was headed back to the minor leagues.

But after the MLB trade deadline passed, this roster move was inevitable. The Reds' roster had far too many left-handed hitting outfielders, and one of them had to go. Cincinnati picked up a pair of right-handed bats in Miguel Andujar and Ke'Bryan Hayes, but Benson, Jake Fraley, TJ Friedl, and Gavin Lux all bat from the left side.

Keeping Benson's bat in the lineup, would've meant bidding farewell to one of Fraley or Lux at the trade deadline — something that perhaps the Reds front office should've considered.

Reds were one trade away from saving Will Benson’s roster spot

The Reds outfield has been a cluttered mess of late. Obviously, with the addition of Hayes at the trade deadline, Noelvi Marte's transition toward becoming a full-time outfielder is now in effect. The Reds decided to deploy Marte in right field, and unless the matchup is favorable for Fraley, fans should expect to see Marte in the lineup with regularity.

Once Friedl returned from the paternity list, Benson's opportunity to gain meaningful playing time in center field all but evaporated. Outside of Elly De La Cruz, no one on the Reds' roster has been a more consistent part of the lineup than Friedl.

Left field then became a dumping ground for Benson, Fraley, Lux, Andjuar, and Austin Hays. Only one player can man the position while another is likely to take his hacks at the Reds designated hitter. In other words, the Reds had five players for two spots. Cincinnati needs a backup catcher (Jose Trevino) and a utility infielder (Santiago Espinal), meaning that one of those players had to go.

So while the fanbase may be upset, moving Benson back to the minors was the obvious play. The Reds just traded for Andujar, neither Hays nor Lux have minor-league options remaining, and Fraley has performed far better than Benson over the course of the season and over the past month.

The only way Benson was going to stick around after the trade deadline was if the Reds traded one of Fraley or Lux. Whether they preferred to keep both player for the stretch run or didn't receive an offer is unknown, but it sure seems like Cincinnati could've received something in return for one of those two players — both of whom are free agents after the 2026 season.

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