Pirates Acquire Spencer Horwitz from Guardians in Three-Player Deal

The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced the acquisition of first baseman and second baseman Spencer Horwitz from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for right-hander Luis Ortiz and left-handed pitching prospects Josh Hartle and Michael Kennedy. This move comes shortly after the Guardians acquired Horwitz from the Toronto Blue Jays earlier in the day as part of the Andrés Giménez deal.


Horwitz, 27, is expected to compete for Pittsburgh's starting first base position. With Cleveland already having Josh Naylor and Kyle Manzardo, there was limited opportunity for Horwitz to play regularly. However, Pittsburgh offers a clearer path to playing time, especially after the release of Rowdy Tellez, who struggled as the team's primary first baseman in the 2024 season.


The left-handed hitting Horwitz has demonstrated considerable offensive potential both in Triple-A and the major leagues. This year, he posted an impressive .265/.357/.433 batting line over 381 plate appearances, hitting 12 home runs and 19 doubles. Horwitz also showcased excellent plate discipline, walking at an 11% rate while striking out 18.4% of the time.