January 27, 2020 7:32 AM : Red Sox hitting coach Tim Hyers spent time with Benintendi during the offseason and said the outfielder is in "really good shape," Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports.
Analysis: Hyers met with a reportedly slimmer Benintendi, who arrived at 2019 spring training noticeably bulked up following a breakout 2018. The outfielder, however, regressed with the added weight, dropping in WAR (4.4 to 2.0) and OPS (.830 to .774). Benintendi's strikeout rate jumped seven percentage points, as he whiffed 34 percent more often than he did in 2018. "We had a good workout and I think there's some really good things," Hyers said. "He's going to be ready for this year. It was nice to see. He had a really good attitude as far as energetic, ready to go." The 25-year-old is still under team control for three more seasons, and for the first time he is arbitration eligible. That matter will be settled by a third party sometime in early February.