Remembering Todd Benzinger

In his only season with the Dodgers in 1992, first baseman Todd Benzinger batted .239 with four home runs and 31 RBI in 121 games. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

by Mark Langill

Former first baseman Todd Benzinger, a nine-year Major Leaguer who spent the 1992 season with Los Angeles, has passed away. He was 63.

The Dodgers began the 1992 season with a first-base platoon of Benzinger and Kal Daniels.

On Dec. 11, 1991, the Kansas City Royals traded Benzinger to the Dodgers in exchange for outfielder Chris Gwynn and Minor League infielder Domingo Mota.

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The Benzinger-Daniels experiment eventually gave way to the emergence of Eric Karros, who made the team out of Spring Training as a third-string first baseman. By the end of May, manager Tommy Lasorda gave the starting job to Karros, who won 1992 National League Rookie of the Year honors.

With the Dodgers, Benzinger batted .239 in 121 games with four home runs and 31 RBI.

Benzinger also played for the Red Sox (1987–88), Reds (1989–91), Royals (1991) and Giants (1993–95).

In the 1990 World Series, Benzinger caught the final out of Cincinnati’s clinching 2–1 victory in Game 4 against the Athletics at Oakland.

In 924 career games, Benzinger slashed .257/.301/.386/.687 with 66 home runs and 376 RBI.

Todd Benzinger poses with Executive Vice President and General Manager Fred Claire after Los Angeles acquired the first baseman in a trade with the Royals on Dec. 11, 1991. (Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)