- Oct 16, 2026
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Todd Benzinger, who played nine MLB seasons and helped the Cincinnati Reds win the 1990 World Series, died Wednesday at age 63, the team announced.
The Dayton, Kentucky native began his career with the Boston Red Sox after being selected in the fourth round of the 1981 draft. Boston traded him to the Reds in December 1988 as part of a five-player deal. In his first at-bat for Cincinnati on Opening Day 1989, Benzinger delivered an RBI single that ended Orel Hershiser's record scoreless-inning streak at 59 innings. He served as the everyday first baseman that season and moved to a platoon role in 1990, when he started at first base in Game 4 of the World Series and caught the final out to complete the Reds' sweep of the Athletics.
Benzinger requested a trade in July 1991 and was sent to the Kansas City Royals. He later played for the Dodgers and spent his final three MLB seasons with the Giants before finishing in the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate in 1995. He posted a career .257/.301/.386 slash line with 66 home runs across 924 games.
Following his playing days, Benzinger managed the Reds' A-ball affiliate in Dayton from 2009-10. Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin remembered him as "a super nice guy."
Source: MLB Trade Rumors - Sat Oct 24, 10:35 AM ET
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).