Will Benson vs. Jake Fraley: Time for a Change in Cincinnati?

With Will Benson raking in Triple-A Louisville and Jake Fraley struggling mightily with the Reds, is it time for the front ofice to make a change?

The Reds are 24th in the league in slugging, 28th in on-base percentage, 30th in walk percentage, and 23rd in hits per game at just 6.80. They need a spark.

Benson is slashing .341/.357/.585 with Louisville with a wRC+ of 152. He's got five extra-base hits in just 41 plate appearances.

Fraley has been Cincinnati's starting right fielder to start the season. He is currently slashing .148 /.148/.185. He has yet to draw a walk and has just one extra-base hit.

“I’m just trying to put the bat on the ball,” Fraley told Charlie Goldsmith. “That’s about it.”

His expected stats don't suggest he's been having bad luck, either. His xBA (.205), xSLG (.253), xwOBA (.198) all suggest his quality of contact has simply been poor.

Even if Benson gets promoted, the Reds need more than just one bat to wake up. Getting Austin Hays and Tyler Stephenson healthy will also help.

That said, when one of the hottest hitters in Triple-A is producing like Benson, it’s absolutely worth giving him a shot to help jumpstart the offense.

Until then, the offense might continue to struggle.

You can read Goldsmith's full article on Fraley's offensive struggles here.