Guardians trade newly acquired Horwitz to Pirates

The Cleveland Guardians traded infielder Spencer Horwitz to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for right-hander Luis L. Ortiz, and left-handed pitching prospects Josh Hartle and Michael Kennedy, both teams announced.

Cleveland had acquired Horwitz from the Toronto Blue Jays in a separate trade earlier Tuesday that sent Andrés Giménez and Nick Sandlin north of the border.

While he's played 39 games at second base in the majors, Horwitz is a first baseman by trade, and he will presumably be the Pirates' everyday first baseman in 2025. The position has been something of a black hole for Pittsburgh in recent years; Pirates first basemen ranked 25th in the major leagues in total production last season.

The 27-year-old, who debuted in 2023, hit .265/.357/.433 with 12 homers and 40 RBIs across 97 games in 2024 while splitting time between first, second, and DH. All 13 of his big-league homers have come against right-handed pitching; conversely, he's struggled against southpaws, sporting a lifetime .523 OPS in 87 plate appearances versus lefties.

Horwitz will find some familiar faces waiting for him in Pittsburgh. New Pirates hitting coach Matt Hague held the same position in Toronto last season, and the two had a close relationship, according to Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith. General manager Ben Cherington, meanwhile, was working in the Blue Jays' front office when they drafted Horwitz in 2019.

"Spencer has been a consistently strong offensive performer throughout his pro career, including his first extended major-league experience this season," Cherington said. "As a left-handed hitting first baseman with on-base skill, we believe he's a strong fit for our lineup and team."

Ortiz, who turns 26 next month, began last season in the bullpen but was moved to the rotation down the stretch amid a quiet breakout season. He finished the year with a career-best 3.32 ERA, 4.25 FIP, and 1.11 WHIP with 107 strikeouts and a 2.8 BB/9 rate over 135 2/3 innings. The Dominican Republic native throws five pitches, including a fastball and sinker that average around 95 mph, per Baseball Savant.

In Cleveland, Ortiz should be a candidate to start full time next season. He might also become a key piece for the Guardians over the long haul, as he has another five years of team control remaining, including four seasons of arbitration.

Hartle, Pittsburgh's third-round pick out of Wake Forest this past summer, was ranked as the Pirates' No. 16 prospect by Baseball America prior to the trade. The 21-year-old put up a 5.79 ERA with 81 strikeouts over 51 starts in his junior year with the Demon Deacons and appeared in only one professional game after the draft.

Kennedy, 20, was the Pirates' No. 19 prospect, per BA. The former fourth-round draft pick posted a combined 3.66 ERA and 1.09 WHIP with 95 strikeouts and a 10.2 K/9 rate across 18 appearances (17 starts) between Low-A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro in 2024.