Pirates swipe slugging first baseman from Guardians after Tuesday's blockbuster trade

After making an underwhelming signing with Elvis Alvarado, the Pittsburgh Pirates got into the MLB Winter Meetings action with a trade that filled in their biggest hole on the roster at first base.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have reportedly acquired first baseman Spencer Horwitz from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for Luis Ortiz, Michael Kennedy, and Josh Hartle. Horwitz was sent to Cleveland earlier today in a trade with the Blue Jays.

Pirates trade for young slugging first baseman Spencer Horwitz from Guardians.

Horwitz is a 27-year-old first baseman who had an excellent rookie season in 2024. The ex-Jay batted .265 with 12 home runs, driving in 40. His OPS reached .790 from an on-base percentage of .357 and a slugging percentage of .433. Additionally, his wRC+ was well above league average at 127 and he struck out at a low 18.4%. Needless to say, Matt Hague was likely instrumental in this acquisition, familiar with Horwitz from his Blue Jays days.

The Pirates will say goodbye to Ortiz, but based on everything we've written thus far this offseason, you can't be too surprised that their surplus pitching was used to obtain a little slug. Kennedy (MLB Pipeline's No. 15 prospect) and Hartle (No. 17) are both chips off a similar block -- projectable lefties who could become something, but don't have the prospect pedigree of Anthony Solometo, Hunter Barco and Zander Mueth, let alone Thomas Harrington and Braxton Ashcraft. Sorry to Boston fans, but your pipe dream of unloading Triston Casas for Jared Jones/Bubba Chandler is dead, too.

Horwitz will be the Pirates' likely Opening Day first baseman, a welcome departure from the days of Rowdy Tellez and discussions of a platoon. Ortiz? After finding himself midway through 2024 and shuttling between the bullpen and rotation, he'll now join a Guardians pitching factory that likely sees something to unlock, despite his relatively low strikeout percentage (20th percentile). He doesn't induce whiffs (11th percentile) or chases (ninth percentile). The Guardians have to have a plan here. You'd think.

Because, on the surface, it looks like the Pirates just flipped three expendable players for a prospect they can really dream on at a position of need.