DALLAS -- The Pirates made their first big splash of the offseason Tuesday night, picking up Spencer Horwitz from the Guardians, their potential first baseman for not only 2025, but the future as well. In exchange, the Pirates are sending Luis Ortiz and pitching prospects Michael Kennedy and Josh Hartle to the Guardians.
It was the second time Horwitz was traded on Tuesday, first being sent from the Blue Jays to the Guardians as part of the Andrés Giménez deal. The 27-year-old first and second baseman emerged as one of the Blue Jays’ top offensive performers last season, slashing .265/.357/.433 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs across 97 games. While not regarded as a top prospect for most of his time in the Blue Jays’ system, Horwitz’s strong walk rates (11% in 2024), ability to know the zone and make solid contact (27.3% squared-up rate) helped burst him onto the Major League scene.
“Spencer has been a consistently strong offensive performer throughout his pro career, including his first extended Major League experience this season,” said general manager Ben Cherington. “As a left-handed-hitting first baseman with on-base skill, we believe he’s a strong fit for our lineup and team.”
TRADE DETAILS
Pirates get: 1B Spencer Horwitz
Guardians get: RHP Luis Ortiz, LHP Michael Kennedy, LHP Josh Hartle
Horwitz also has familiarity with new Pirates hitting coach Matt Hague, who coached him as an assistant hitting coach this past season and when Hague was a Minor League hitting coach before that.
“When we started to get down the road in the process, [Cherington] was able to communicate with Hague on his thoughts on him,” said manager Derek Shelton. “Got a text from IKF [Isiah Kiner-Falefa], because he played with him, last night about it. Just overall, a good pickup that kind of helps us lengthen our lineup. We came into the offseason saying that we needed to improve our offense, and I think we have."
Defensive versatility is a plus for the Pirates, and Horwitz split his time at second base (37 starts) and first base (36 starts) over two seasons with Toronto. While there haven’t been formal talks of where he will play, Shelton expects Horwitz to primarily play first.
The Pirates came into the offseason with a deep pool of pitching, both in the Majors and Minors, and a desire to upgrade on offense. Johan Oviedo is set to return from Tommy John surgery in 2025, and with the emergence of Paul Skenes and Jared Jones this season, Mitch Keller in place for another four years and three Top 100 prospects in Triple-A (Bubba Chandler, Braxton Ashcraft and Thomas Harrington), the Bucs were in a position where they could trade a Major League starter as well as some prospect depth.
The cost of the deal was still higher than any trade Cherington has made in his five years as the Pirates’ general manager. Ortiz emerged as one of the team’s best performers last year, recording a 3.32 ERA over 135 2/3 innings, which saw him begin the year in the bullpen before re-establishing himself as a starting pitcher. Hartle was a third-round pick in this past Draft, and Kennedy was a Top 30 Prospect who cracked High-A Greensboro at the end of the season.
First base has been a problem position ever since the Pirates traded Josh Bell four years ago, with them cycling through veterans on one-year deals in recent seasons (Yoshi Tsutsugo in 2022, Carlos Santana in '23 and Rowdy Tellez in '24). Having a solidified answer for the position for the near future has plenty of appeal, and Horwitz has six years of team control remaining.
“We believe in the bat, we believe in the person,” Cherington said. “We believe he has a chance to be part of that solution. And glad that we have a chance to have him for a while."
Corner outfield and bullpen help are now at the top of the Pirates’ shopping list as they build a roster for 2025.