The Spencer Horwitz era in Cleveland was somehow shorter than Johnny Manziel’s.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are set to acquire first baseman Spencer Horwitz from the Cleveland Guardians. This move comes just hours after Horwitz was traded from Toronto to Cleveland in a deal for Andrés GiménezIn. exchange for Horwitz, the team traded pitchers Luis Ortiz, Michael Kennedy, and Josh Hartle.
This move provides the team with a much needed upgrade at first base, a position that has been a constant revolving door over the past couple of years. 2024 saw Rowdy Tellez and Connor Joe taking most of the reps at first base, both of whom are no longer on the Pirates. There were rumors circulating that Bryan Reynolds may make the switch for the 2025 season, but now with Horwitz in the mix, it’s pretty clear the team has finally settled on a first baseman moving forward.
We have acquired 1B Spencer Horwitz from the Guardians in exchange for RHP Luis Ortiz, LHP Michael Kennedy and LHP Josh Hartle. pic.twitter.com/2aUjYW2VXW
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) December 11, 2024
Horwitz was picked in the 24th round of the 2019 draft by the Blue Jays, after playing college ball at Radford University. 2023 is when Toronto first called up Horwitz, and 2024 saw him appear in 97 games after spending the beginning of the season with Triple-A Buffalo. As a rookie in 2024, Horwtiz slashed .265/.357/.433 and scored 46 runs, 40 RBIs, and 12 homers. Among qualifying American League rookies, Horwitz placed top five in several offensive categories to include batting average and on base percentage.
General Manager Ben Cherington made it very clear that the team’s focus this offseason is finding players that can help generate more runs, an area that Pittsburgh struggled with mightily most of the year. First base was one of the biggest holes within the team, and Cherington made it clear the kind of impact that Horwitz can have as a Pirate.
Spencer Horwitz time in Cleveland https://t.co/un9VsvqyIZ pic.twitter.com/a3ZlwxhAr3
— Ethan (@tuttutlgg) December 11, 2024
“Spencer has been a consistently strong offensive performer throughout his pro career, including his first extended Major League experience this season,” said Cherington. “As a left-handed hitting first baseman with on-base skill, we believe he’s a strong fit for our lineup and team.”