Ben Cherington's latest Pirates lineup plan raises an obvious Spencer Horwitz trade question

Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington might have inadvertently revealed one of the biggest flaws in his team's roster construction while discussing his plans for 2027.

During a Wednesday afternoon appearance on MLB Network Radio, Cherington indicated that the expectation is for Ryan O'Hearn and Spencer Horwitz to rotate between first base and designated hitter next season.

On the surface, that's a perfectly reasonable arrangement. Both players are capable hitters, and keeping their bats in the lineup while sharing defensive responsibilities isn't inherently a bad idea.

But there's one fairly obvious problem: Aren't O'Hearn and Horwitz essentially filling the same role?

Both are left-handed hitters whose greatest value comes from their offensive production rather than defensive versatility. Neither is particularly effective against left-handed pitching, and neither offers much positional flexibility beyond first base and DH.

For a Pirates team that desperately needs to balance its lineup, committing both positions to two players with such similar profiles feels unnecessarily restrictive. And it raises a question that Pittsburgh might eventually have to confront: Would the Pirates be better off trading Horwitz?

Pirates' Ryan O'Hearn-Spencer Horwitz plan ignores a glaring offensive weakness

The Pirates made significant strides offensively in 2026, but their struggles against left-handed pitching were impossible to ignore.

Pittsburgh finished with an 18-33 record against left-handed starters, batting just .229 with a .300 on-base percentage and .359 slugging percentage in those games. All three offensive marks ranked last in Major League Baseball.

Unfortunately, neither O'Hearn nor Horwitz offered much of a solution. The former finished the season with a .620 OPS against left-handed pitching, while the latter managed an even worse .596 mark. Their offensive value was far more pronounced against right-handers.

Those numbers don't mean either player is expendable on his own. O'Hearn hit .265/.330/.440 with 18 home runs in 2026, while Horwitz finished at .244/.344/.364 with 10 homers despite dealing with injuries. Both can contribute to a winning lineup, but it's a question of whether the Pirates can afford to build around both simultaneously.

Cherington's proposed arrangement also effectively monopolizes the designated hitter spot. Bryan Reynolds could benefit from occasionally getting off his feet while remaining in the batting order. The same goes for Oneil Cruz, whose health and offensive impact are particularly important to Pittsburgh's long-term success. If O'Hearn and Horwitz are constantly rotating between first base and DH, those opportunities become harder to accommodate.

Ultimately, it's a lot of roster inflexibility for two players with such similar offensive strengths and weaknesses.

Spencer Horwitz's trade value could help Pirates address more pressing needs

Interestingly enough, the idea of trading Horwitz isn't entirely new. Back in July, MLB.com identified Horwitz as Pittsburgh's biggest potential trade-deadline asset, pointing to his remaining years of team control and the possibility of moving O'Hearn to first base.

Horwitz is still an intriguing offensive player with strong on-base skills and multiple seasons of club control remaining. Before suffering a hamstring injury in late June, he was hitting .280/.386/.455 with 10 home runs in 74 games.

His production cratered after returning in August, as he hit just .180/.263/.201 over his final 40 appearances. That certainly complicates his trade value, but it shouldn't erase the offensive upside he demonstrated earlier in the season.

The Pirates would also be selling relatively low after Horwitz's injury-plagued second half, which is a legitimate reason to hesitate. Still, if another organization views Horwitz as a potential everyday first baseman, Pittsburgh should at least be willing to listen.

The Pirates need a right-handed impact bat, additional infield help and potentially another starting pitcher. Horwitz could conceivably help address one of those needs through a trade without requiring Pittsburgh to sacrifice significant prospect capital. And if the Pirates are already comfortable with O'Hearn serving as their primary first baseman, moving Horwitz would create another opportunity to diversify the lineup.

Of course, there's an important distinction between recognizing a potential trade fit and suggesting Cherington is actively shopping Horwitz. His comments Wednesday certainly don't confirm the latter. If anything, they suggest the Pirates currently envision both players having meaningful roles in 2027.

But offseason plans can change, especially when the right opportunity presents itself.

Keeping Horwitz and O'Hearn together might provide Pittsburgh with some offensive stability. It could also leave the Pirates with the same glaring imbalance that contributed to their struggles against left-handed pitching.

The answer isn't necessarily to trade Horwitz just for the sake of clearing a roster spot. He's too valuable, particularly given his remaining team control, to move without receiving a meaningful return. But Cherington shouldn't treat the two players as untouchable pieces of a predetermined first base/DH arrangement, either.

The Pirates ultimately need to determine whether keeping Horwitz is actually the best use of their available resources. And if trading him could bring back a right-handed hitter or another desperately needed roster upgrade, that possibility deserves serious consideration.

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