Horwitz went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI on Thursday against the Brewers.
He led off the fourth inning with a solo shot off Aaron Civale, Horwitz's first extra-base hit as a Pirate. He has gone 5-for-18 with only three strikeouts through six games since returning from a wrist injury and seems set in a strong-side platoon role at first base.
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Pirates' Spencer Horwitz: Exiting starting nine Monday
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Horwitz is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Reds.
The left-handed-hitting Horwitz could end up settling into a full-time role with the Pirates eventually, but he'll take a seat for the series opener versus the Reds while lefty Nick Lodolo takes the hill for Cincinnati. After being reinstated from the injured list Saturday after he had been on the shelf all season while recovering from a procedure to alleviate pain in his right wrist, Horwitz started at first base in the final two games of the Pirates' weekend series with the Phillies, going 1-for-6.
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Pirates' Spencer Horwitz: Hits fifth in Pittsburgh debut
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Horwitz went 0-for-2 on Saturday against the Phillies.
Horwitz was sidelined for the first seven weeks of the regular season and made his Pirates debut Saturday night. While he occupied the fifth spot in the order, the lefty-hitting Horwitz was pulled for a pinch hitter when lefty Matt Strahm took the mound. While Horwitz could have been pulled as he continues to build up stamina, it's possible this is an early sign that he'll be operating in a platoon at first base.
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Pirates' Spencer Horwitz: Back from injured list
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The Pirates reinstated Horwitz (wrist) from the injured list Saturday, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Horwitz has been on the injured list all season while working his way back from a thumb procedure he underwent in February to relieve some pain in his right wrist. He's been playing in rehab games since late April and has slashed .255/.294/.383 with two RBI and seven runs scored across 51 plate appearances. Now fully healthy, he's expected to take over as Pittsburgh's primary first baseman. Matt Gorski was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis in a corresponding move.
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Pirates' Spencer Horwitz: Set to return from IL this weekend
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The Pirates will activate Horwitz (wrist) from the 10-day injured list during their weekend series in Philadelphia, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
He will not be activated Friday, perhaps because the Phillies are starting left-hander Ranger Suarez. Instead, Horwitz will return from the IL later this weekend. Horwitz has been working his way back from February surgery to repair an extensor tendon in his right thumb that was causing pain in his wrist. The 27-year-old posted just a .677 OPS in 13 rehab games, but he was heating up at Triple-A Indianapolis, going 6-for-13 with one home run over his last three contests. Horwitz is set to serve as the Pirates' primary first baseman.
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Pirates' Spencer Horwitz: Still finding groove
Rotowire
Horwitz (wrist) has gone 4-for-28 with five strikeouts on his rehab assignment split between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis.
Horwitz has been on assignment since April 27 and has needed extensive ramp-up time after missing all of spring training. He still hasn't found a rhythm at the plate, though he has struck out at a reasonable 16.7 percent clip. The Pirates need offensive help, but they may opt to let Horwitz start to hit better before activating him.
Horwitz (wrist) is likely to head to the Pirates' complex in Florida to begin a rehab assignment in the near future, MLB.com reports.
Horwitz has been cleared for all baseball activity and has been taking batting practice for the last several days. He'll likely still require some time to get in a rhythm after missing all of spring training, meaning a return in early May could be realistic.
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Pirates' Spencer Horwitz: Taking BP
Rotowire
Horwitz (wrist) has progressed to taking batting practice, throwing and fielding ground balls, MLB.com reports.
Horwitz has been swinging since early March, though his progression to batting practice is significant. He's still a few weeks away from a rehab assignment, which is projected to begin in late April or early May.
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Pirates' Spencer Horwitz: Ready for tee work
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Horwitz (wrist) was cleared to begin hitting off a tee Sunday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
The 27-year-old is about a month removed from undergoing surgery on his right wrist and continues ramping up his hitting program. Horwitz was given an initial recovery timeline of 6-to-8 weeks and appears likely to be sidelined for Opening Day, but he may not miss much of the regular season.
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Pirates' Spencer Horwitz: On mend from hand surgery
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Horwitz said Wednesday that the surgery he underwent last week was to repair the extensor tendon in his right thumb, John Perrotto of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports. He's expected to face a recovery timeline of 6-to-8 weeks.
The left-handed-hitting Horwitz's procedure was designed to address chronic symptoms with his wrist, but the surgery itself was actually performed on the thumb of his throwing hand. In any case, Horwitz's projected 6-to-8-week recovery timeline could keep him out of action for most or all of spring training and force him to open the season on the injured list. If Horwitz is shelved to begin the campaign, Pittsburgh could turn to Jared Triolo, Billy Cook or Bryan Reynolds to pick up starts at first base early on.
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Pirates' Spencer Horwitz: Battling wrist injury
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Horwitz will miss time during spring training due to a right wrist injury, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Horwitz was traded from Toronto to Cleveland and then Pittsburgh back in December and was expected to begin 2025 as the Pirates' primary first baseman. However, he suffered a wrist injury in the offseason that required surgery and has yet to shed his cast. There's no telling if the infielder's absence will extend into the regular season, but if he ends up beginning the season on the injured list, Jared Triolo would likely be the next man up to start at first.
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Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Getting night off
Rotowire
Horwitz is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.
Horwitz's streak of 11 consecutive starts will come to an end while he heads to the bench for the first time since Sept. 11. He'll cede his spot in the lineup to Tyler Heineman, who will handle catching duties while top backstop Alejandro Kirk gets a day off behind the plate but sticks in the starting nine as the Blue Jays' designated hitter.
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Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Homers twice, plates three in win
Rotowire
Horwitz went 4-for-5 with a double, two homers, three RBI and three runs scored in Saturday's win over Atlanta.
Horwitz was a problem for Atlanta all night, smacking a leadoff homer in the second to put Toronto on the board, along with a second leadoff shot in the fourth to kick off a three-run inning for the Blue Jays. The infielder didn't stop there, however, adding an RBI double and a single in the contest to give him his first four-hit performance of the campaign. Horwitz has now tallied multiple hits in three of his last six starts, batting .423 (11-for-26) with three homers, six RBI and six runs scored over that stretch. He's also hit safely in each of his last three starts.
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Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Sitting against Fried
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Horwitz is not in Friday's lineup against Atlanta.
Horwitz has been playing pretty regularly at first base and designated hitter, but he'll head to the bench for the second time in as many games with the Jays facing back-to-back southpaws. Nathan Lukes enters the lineup in right field with George Springer starting at DH.
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Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Goes deep as part of three-hit game
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Horwitz went 3-for-5 with a home run, a walk, two total runs and three total RBI against the Twins in Saturday's 15-0 victory.
Horwitz was a key part of a massive 23-hit performance by Toronto's offense. He started at third base and hit a two-run homer in the first inning along with a run-scoring single in the third. Prior to Saturday, Horwitz had just one RBI over his previous nine games.
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Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: On bench for second game of day
Rotowire
Horwitz is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Red Sox.
Horwitz will get a breather after he played seven innings earlier in the day in the Blue Jays' 4-1 win in the resumption of a game that had been suspended June 26 in the second inning. With Horwitz on the bench for the nightcap, Vladimir Guerrero will start at first base and George Springer will serve as Toronto's designated hitter.
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Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: On base four times in loss
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Horwitz went 2-for-3 with two walks, a double, a two-run home run and a second run scored in Wednesday's 11-7 loss to the Reds.
The 26-year-old slugged a two-run homer off Nick Martinez in the first inning, giving Horwitz his second long ball in as many games and his eighth of the year in 63 big-league contests. The multi-hit performance was his first since Aug. 9 though, and he's had trouble providing consistency to the Toronto lineup. Through 18 games in August, Horwitz is slashing .238/.338/.476 with three doubles, four home runs, nine RBI and 13 runs.
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Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Belts seventh homer
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Horwitz went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's win over the Reds.
The Blue Jays launched five homers off Carson Spiers in the first five innings Tuesday, with Horwitz's blast being his seventh of the season. The 26-year-old has maintained an everyday role for Toronto while bouncing between first base, DH and occasionally second base, but Horwitz is slashing just .217/.304/.400 through 17 games in August with three homers, seven RBI and 11 runs.
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Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Smacks homer in win
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Horwitz went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, a walk and an additional run scored in Tuesday's 6-1 win over the Angels.
Horwitz is 10-for-39 (.256) with six RBI and four extra-base hits over 11 contests in August. His homer Tuesday stretched Toronto's lead to 5-0 in the third inning. Horwitz is up to a .272/.363/.424 slash line with six homers, 22 RBI, 28 runs scored and 11 doubles over 223 plate appearances. He continues to see regular playing time between first base, second base and designated hitter.
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Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Idle vs lefty
Rotowire
Horwitz isn't in the Blue Jays' lineup Tuesday versus the Giants.
Horwitz will be on the bench Tuesday with lefty Blake Snell pitching for San Francisco. Leo Jimenez has the start at second base and is batting ninth.
