MLB.com just made a baffling Pirates trade suggestion that misses the point

The Pittsburgh Pirates have spent years building toward the moment when their prospects would finally become established major leaguers and the front office could supplement that core with win-now moves.

Now that the Pirates have reached that stage, MLB.com’s suggestion for their biggest trade chip somehow involves subtracting one of their most productive players.

In its Friday feature identifying every team’s top trade chip ahead of the deadline, MLB.com selected Spencer Horwitz for Pittsburgh.

“This one might come as a surprise,” the article acknowledged in the understatement of the year. “While the Pirates have plenty of prospects to deal, they could dig into their big league roster to acquire more pitching.”

The argument is that Esmerlyn Valdez’s arrival in right field could push Ryan O’Hearn toward first base, potentially making Horwitz expendable. There are several problems with that logic, beginning with the fact that Valdez has played fewer than 30 major-league games.

Valdez has been sensational. His power has immediately changed the complexion of Pittsburgh’s lineup, and he has earned the opportunity to keep playing regularly. But declaring his brief hot streak a permanent “emergence” is premature, especially when that conclusion is being used to justify trading a proven major-league hitter.

Horwitz was batting .280/.386/.455 with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs through 74 games before landing on the injured list with a left hamstring strain June 25. He gets on base, provides balance to the lineup and remains under club control through 2030.

Those are the kinds of players contenders try to acquire at the deadline, not casually move because another hitter had an exciting first few weeks.

The Pirates surviving Horwitz’s absence does not mean they are better without him. It means their depth has allowed them to remain competitive while one of their better hitters recovers.

Pittsburgh’s ideal lineup should include Horwitz, O’Hearn and Valdez. O’Hearn’s defensive flexibility gives the Pirates several ways to make that happen. He and Horwitz can rotate between first base and designated hitter, and Valdez can continue playing the outfield.

Good teams find at-bats for good hitters. They don't create unnecessary holes simply because multiple players deserve playing time.

Spencer Horwitz trade proposal fundamentally misunderstands where Pirates are in their competitive cycle

For years, Pittsburgh operated like a rebuilding club. Established major leaguers were turned into prospects, and immediate results were secondary to the possibility of future value.

Now, however, the Pirates are finally positioned to make a legitimate postseason push. If they need bullpen help or another established pitcher, the organization has a deep farm system from which to deal. The deadline should be about converting some of that prospect capital into major-league upgrades.

Horwitz’s contract control would undoubtedly give him considerable value around the league, but that's precisely why the Pirates should keep him. A productive, versatile hitter under control for four more seasons is valuable to Pittsburgh, too.

There is a version of the deadline in which trading from the major-league roster makes sense. If the Pirates can upgrade at a position while dealing a redundant player, every option should be considered. Horwitz, however, is not redundant. He is a central piece of a lineup that is trying to prove it can sustain a playoff run.

The Pirates spent too long waiting for their window to open. Now that it finally has, they should be adding players who can help them win — not trading one of the hitters who helped put them in this position.

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