Pirates' Spencer Horwitz injury opens the door for a free agent reunion

Over the course of the offseason, the catcher position has not been a concern for the Pirates, as there are a few guys under contract who could make positive impacts in Pittsburgh this season. Even with a positional surplus, bringing back a familiar face in Yasmani Grandal was never a bad idea, given that he was Paul Skenes' personal catcher and served a clear purpose last season.

The possibility of his return actually just got even more likely on the first day of spring training, as Spencer Horwitz reported to camp in less than peak physical condition after surgery on his wrist. His timeline of 6-to-8 weeks out opens the door for a depth chart shuffle at first base, with backup catcher Endy Rodriguez potentially an option.

Rodriguez has played first base in his professional career and is coming off elbow surgery. It may not be a bad idea for him to take it easy on his arm as he works his way back. Additionally, Joey Bart will likely see a lot of time behind the plate, so maybe adding another backup into the mix makes sense, especially one who could be utilized on Skenes' pitching days.

The Spencer Horwitz injury opens a bigger door for the Pirates to bring back Yasmani Grandal.

Grandal obviously had his struggles in the first half in Pittsburgh, but his second half was part of the reason the Pirates were even able to reach 76 wins.

There are other teams in the mix for the veteran catcher, according to Francys Romero. The Pirates have also not officially been reported as interested in bringing him back. The only time his name has been connected this offseason was during the Winter Meetings, when Alex Stumpf said in a Q&A that Pittsburgh wouldn't mind bringing him back.

Maybe Cherington does get aggressive in his market moving forward. Grandal knows the pitching staff well, so he would not have to acclimate and learn very many new things with spring training starting up.

The plan for Rodriguez at this point is unclear, and it is very possible that he sees a bulk of time at first base this spring. That could set up the Pirates needing another catcher on the roster, and Henry Davis cannot be that guy just yet, so Grandal makes a lot of sense right now.