Reds' Will Benson riding wave of positivity following NL Player of the Week honor
admin_news
Following his National League Player of the Week honor, Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson's had a quieter week, but there's definitely been a carry-over effect.
Benson claimed the weekly NL accolade after leading the league in batting (.526), home runs (five), slugging (1.368), RBI (10) and OPS (1.959). Crucially for the Reds, Benson's performances were the driving force behind turning around a homestand that started with a series loss to the lowly Chicago White Sox and ended with a four-game winning streak (which became a five-game winning streak against the Pittsburgh Pirates).
The numbers in the week that followed have been far less gaudy. Benson is 1-for-9 with an RBI. He sat for two games against Pittsburgh due to pitching matchups, and entered this weekend's series opener against the Chicago Cubs later in the game.
Benson was scheduled to start Sunday, May 25 against the Cubs and hit seventh.
Benson's stayed consistent at the plate in other facets even as his playing time decreased due to matchups and his batting average dropped more than 40 points.
His approach and mechanics have remained the same, and he drove the ball well twice in Saturday's win over the Cubs, narrowly missing what would have been a three-run homer. Instead, Benson settled for a sacrifice fly RBI in a tight, NL Central battle the Reds needed to have and eventually won.
"He had the 'sac'-fly that was about a home run, and then he hit another ball (to) left-center that was really good," Reds manager Terry Francona said during his Sunday, May 25 morning meeting with local reporters. "When you hit the ball the opposite way with authority, you're doing some things really well."
Francona made note of the mechanical changes in Benson's swing, too.
"His hands are in a different spot and... what ultimately matters is when you're getting ready to hit, what position are you in? And he's getting in a really good position," Francona said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Will Benson's encore after NL weekly honor has been controlled at-bats
