Reds star had a stellar week, earning National League Player of the Week honors for May 12–18.
Though he didn’t start the first game of the week, Benson made an impact off the bench with a hit, a walk, and a stolen base against the White Sox. He started the next day, adding another hit, a walk, and a double. He really hit his stride in the series finale, going 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs, helping the Reds avoid a sweep.
Benson stayed hot as the Reds faced his former team, the Cleveland Guardians, in the Ohio Cup. He homered again, drove in three more runs, and tallied two hits. On Saturday, his lone hit was another home run—his third in three days. He wrapped up the week with a bang on Sunday, going 3-for-4 with two more home runs and driving in all three of Cincinnati’s runs in a 3-1 win to complete the sweep.
Over six games, Benson collected 10 hits, including five home runs and a double, and drove in 10 runs. In 22 plate appearances, he slashed .526/.591/1.368 with a remarkable 1.959 OPS, walking three times and striking out only four.
After that performance, Benson has clearly reestablished himself in the majors and returns to the Reds’ lineup as they kick off a series in Pittsburgh. All eyes are on whether he can keep the momentum going against MitchKeller.