Terry Francona Opens Up About Will Benson And His Role For 2026

CINCINNATI – Will Benson is a very streaky hitter. When he gets hot, he can carry the team offensively.

Manager Terry Francona shared his thoughts on Benson with Charlie Goldsmith and how he plans on utilizing him this season.

"I've never not been impressed with Will's outlook," Francona said. "There were some tough send-downs and tough conversations. He can be streaky. When he's streaking well, we definitely want to use him."

Will Benson won Player of the Week for the week ending May 18. He hit .526 with five home runs and 10 RBIs that week. He was the first Red with five homers in a four-game stretch since Joey Votto in July 2021 and the first Red under the age of 27 to achieve the feat since Aristides Aquino in August 2019. Benson’s four homers and seven RBI in the first leg of this year’s Ohio Cup marked the first time a Red hit at least four homers and tallied at least seven RBI in a three-game series since Aaron Boone in August 2002 against San Diego.

Francona told Will Benson that their one-on-one meeting this spring will be "a more fun meeting than it was last year."

Benson struggled in 2024, slashing just .187/.274/.376 with a -1.4 WAR. This was mostly due to being forced to play more against left-handed batters and simply pressing. Blake Dunn, Jacob Hurtubise, Tyler Callihan, and Rece Hinds were on the outfield depth chart to start the season last year. When he was given opportunities, he ran with them.

“It was such a blessing because through it all I was able to maintain a level head,” Benson said. “I kept my mind rooted in the process. I learned from what actually allowed me to be in the position to be a such an unlucky person. That meant a lot of what I was doing aligned with consistency and going about things the right way. The ball didn’t go in my favor. But the execution was elite.”

When asked what Francona’s message was to him, Benson said, “Just go out there and play. You’re going to play left, right, center. Go out there and show up. I want to be consistent and head into the season with a clear identity. Implement my work into actual game action.”

Will Benson looks to be an upgrade over the outgoing Gavin Lux. While Lux offered a decent contact bat, his defense and power lacked. Benson provides defensive versatility and a power bat that can carry the team games at a time.

You can read Charlie's full post here

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