The Pittsburgh Pirates entered the MLB Winter Meetings with high hopes, believing they had found their long-term answer at first base. However, the three-way trade they made with the Cleveland Guardians and Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night has left more questions than answers. Will Spencer Horwitz be the productive force the Pirates have been lacking since Josh Bell's All-Star season in 2019? And will the Pirates regret digging too deep into their pitching depth?

Acquiring Spencer Horwitz

The Pirates acquired Spencer Horwitz from the Guardians, who had obtained him from the Blue Jays earlier in the day. Horwitz made his major-league debut with the Blue Jays in 2023, appearing in 15 games, and then played in 97 games this season. His career statistics, although based on a relatively small sample size of 425 plate appearances, are intriguing. He has a.264/.355/.428 slash line with 13 home runs. The on-base percentage is a welcome addition to a team that ranked 27th in the major leagues in that category with a.301 mark this season. No Pirates player had an OBP as high as Horwitz's in 2024. Bryan Reynolds'.344 led the team. However, an average of one home run every 32 plate appearances is low for a first baseman, especially in an era where there aren't as many pure power hitters at that position. The Pirates need players who can hit home runs, as their 160 homers this season ranked 25th in MLB. Could Horwitz increase his home run production? There is some hope, but his 42 longballs in 1,988 minor-league plate appearances don't provide a lot of confidence that he'll suddenly become a 25-homer hitter.

Evaluating Horwitz's Impact

Horwitz should be a valuable piece in the Pirates' lineup. He brings a certain skill set that can contribute to the team's success. His on-base ability is a positive attribute, and he has shown some potential at the major-league level. However, he isn't the game-changing hitter the Pirates desperately need. The Pirates gave up a promising young major-league pitcher in Luis Ortiz in this trade. Ortiz had a great season this year, going 7-6 with a 3.32 ERA in 15 starts and 22 relief appearances. The Guardians plan to use Ortiz in their rotation after winning the American League Central. If the Pirates had more pitching depth, they might have been more hesitant to part with Ortiz.

The Prospects in the Trade

In addition to Horwitz, the Pirates sent right-hander Luis Ortiz to Cleveland along with left-handed pitching prospects Michael Kennedy and Josh Hartle. Hartle was the Pirates' third-round draft pick this year from Wake Forest. Kennedy was taken in the fourth round in 2022 and received a $1-million signing bonus following his senior season of high school ball in Troy, N.Y. Baseball America ranked Hartle as the Pirates' 16th-best prospect and Kennedy at No. 19. These prospects add some depth to the Pirates' system and could potentially contribute to the team in the future.

General Manager's Perspective

General Manager Ben Cherington entered the offseason knowing he would likely have to make some pitching trades to add some offense. "I think you look back to, 'How do we win in Pittsburgh?' What are the channels we can put wins on the field through and improve the team?" Cherington said Monday. "Trades have to be one of them. A big one frankly if you look at (teams like) Cleveland, Tampa (Bay) and Milwaukee. Yes, they're getting value out of the draft, yes they're getting value out of international (amateur free agents), but trades are a big piece of how those teams are built. Trades are harder emotionally because everybody celebrates a draft pick when you make it and it's all upside, but with trades, there's a give and take. You're giving something up so it's a different emotional, psychological decision and experience. To win in Pittsburgh, we're going to have to be willing to embrace that like those competitive teams have done. We've got to be open to it and you can't find out what the opportunities are unless you're open to it."Being open-minded is crucial for a general manager working with a tight budget. Overpaying is not a good strategy, but finding the right balance is key. The Pirates' trade with the Guardians and Blue Jays is a complex situation that will require time to evaluate and determine its true impact on the team. Only time will tell if this trade was the right move for the Pirates.