Pirates acquire Spencer Horwitz from Guardians via intriguing trade
12/11/2024 12:02 AM
The MLB winter meetings are underway and the transaction line has been buzzing all week long. Much of the focus has been on Juan Soto’s record-setting contract with the New York Mets, but teams all around the league have been negotiating and making deals in an attempt to improve their roster heading into 2025.
The Pittsburgh Pirates joined the list late on Tuesday night when they acquired infielder Spencer Horwitz from the Cleveland Guardians in a trade, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Horwitz had just been dealt to the Guardians from the Blue Jays in a deal that included Andres Giménez.
“Guardians finalizing trade of 1B/2B Spencer Horwitz to the Pirates, source tells @TheAthletic,” Rosenthal reported on X, formerly Twitter. “Horwitz is part of Guardians' return from the Blue Jays for Andres Giménez and Nick Sandlin.”
In return, the Pirates are sending prospect Josh Hartle to Cleveland along with pitchers Luis Ortiz and Michael Kennedy, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB Media.
Horwitz can play both first and second base and has been a versatile chess piece for the Blue Jays over his first two seasons in the league. He adds a young piece that can play multiple positions to an improving Pirates team that will give him an opportunity to play and get better as opposed to a talented Guardians squad that likely would have see him used as a bench bat.
In 2024, Horwitz appeared in 97 games for the Blue Jays. He hit .264 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs with 31 total extra base hits. His OPS+ of 125 shows that he is a promising, above-average hitter that still has room to grow and will get the opportunity to do so with the Pirates in 2025 and beyond.
Horwitz also made just two errors in 112 chances while playing both first and second base, so he is a solid defender out in the field.
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