PITTSBURGH — Spencer Horwitz was settling in to watch “Gladiator II” with his girlfriend last week when his phone rang.
By the end of the film – clocking in at 2 hours and 28 minutes – the first baseman had been traded.
Twice.
First from Toronto to Cleveland in a deal that sent Gold Glove second baseman Andrés Giménez to the Blue Jays. About an hour later, the Guardians sent Horwitz back to Pittsburgh in exchange for three pitchers.
To be honest, Horwitz was rather amused. Relieved too.
While Horwitz was “thrilled” when he learned he was headed to the defending AL Central champions, he was also a little confused.
“I know they have some really good first basemen,” he said. “And they had (traded) Giménez and I was curious if I was going to play second, third or what the plan was.”
It turns out none of the above.
Enter the Pirates, who have had a revolving door at the position since trading Josh Bell to Washington in December 2020. Pittsburgh has employed four different Opening Day first basemen over the past four years: Colin Moran, Yoshi Tsutsugo, Carlos Santana and Rowdy Tellez.
Horwitz, who is under team control through the end of the decade, will have an opportunity to bring some stability to a team that believes the competitive window is entirely open thanks to a managed starting rotation by NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes.
“I mean the pitch that everyone is talking about and how amazing it is,” Horwitz said. “And against the Pirates in the minor leagues, I felt it firsthand. They all throw hard. They all throw it inside. They all have very difficult off-speeds. So I’m happy that they are my team.
Horwitz, 27, hit .265 with 12 homers and 40 RBIs in 97 games with Toronto last season. While he understands that at 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds he doesn’t profile as a traditional power hitter in what is considered a power position, Horwitz doesn’t think he needs to hit the ball over the fence 30 to 40 times a year. year to be effective at the plate.
“I think I bring quality to the bat and I can work and do damage,” he said. “The damage is not limited to home runs, that’s what I learned. This may come in duplicate. This can come in triplicate. I’m not one to get a lot of triples, but they will come.
Horwitz walked 42 times last season, and his .357 on-base percentage would have led the Pirates, who finished near the bottom of the National League in most major offensive categories, leading to an overhaul that included the arrival of Matt Hague as batting coach last. month. Horwitz and Hague worked together extensively while both with the Blue Jays.
“He’s been great in my career,” Horwitz said of Hague. “And I know I wouldn’t be here without him.” So I know he’s going to bring great things, not just for me, but for the whole organization.
It’s unclear where Horwitz might fit into Pittsburgh’s lineup, which is expected to consist of left fielder Bryan Reynolds and shortstop Oneil Cruz. Horwitz’s ability to get on base means he could fit in well up top, although he could fit somewhere in the middle.
That doesn’t matter to Horwitz, who understands that few 24th-round picks reach the majors, especially now that the amateur draft is only 20 rounds long. He remembers being an undersized prospect “doing everything I could to get noticed.”
It worked, although he now knows that the real work has only just begun.
“I’m really proud of how far we’ve come, but I wouldn’t say I’m satisfied,” he said. “I obviously have a lot more to achieve in this match, and I hope I can do it in black and gold.”
