In something of a surprise, Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson has officially made the club's Opening Day roster. It's not undeserved. The 27-year-old put together a fantastic spring that included a jaw-dropping inside-the-park home run, fending off some tough competition from JJ Bleday and others to win the job as the club's preferred left-handed-hitting outfielder.
It's a stunning turn of events for a player who seemed to be in Terry Francona's doghouse and who the club seemed to be maneuvering out of the picture with some of the offseason acquisitions. The catalyst for his falling out of Francona's favor seemed to be his admiring of a near-homer that turned into a triple last July.