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) will embark on a rehab assignment with Double-A Altoona on Sunday, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.
Horwitz underwent surgery in February to repair an extensor tendon in his right thumb that was causing pain in his wrist, but he's finally ready for game action. Horwitz appeared in 97 games for the Blue Jays in 2024, slashing .265/.357/.433 with 12 home runs and 40 RBI in 381 plate appearances.
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.
... See More... See Less
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.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Spencer Horwitz: Ready for tee work
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Spencer Horwitz: On mend from hand surgery
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Spencer Horwitz: Battling wrist injury
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
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.
... See More... See Less
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.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Sitting against Fried
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Goes deep as part of three-hit game
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
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.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: On base four times in loss
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Belts seventh homer
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Smacks homer in win
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
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.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Three more hits Sunday
Rotowire
Horwitz went 3-for-5 in Sunday's extra-inning win over the Mariners.
It's the second time in the last four games Horwitz has banged out three hits. The 26-year-old has been an on-base machine since joining the Blue Jays roster a month ago, slashing .329/.454/.481 with more walks (14) than strikeouts (13) in 97 plate appearance, and he's quickly become a fixture near the top of the batting order against right-handed pitching.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Three hits in Thursday's loss
Rotowire
Horwitz went 3-for-4 with two RBI in Thursday's loss to the Astros.
Batting fifth as a late addition to the lineup when Bo Bichette (forearm) was scratched, Horwitz banged out all three of his singles against same-handed pitchers, getting knocks off southpaw Framber Valdez in the first and fourth innings before leading off the ninth with a hit off Josh Hader. Horwitz has been impressive at the plate since his promotion, slashing .314/.435/.486 through 85 plate appearances with three doubles, three homers, nine RBI and 11 runs.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: Sitting Thursday versus lefty
Rotowire
Horwitz isn't in the Blue Jays' lineup for Thursday's game versus the Yankees.
With left-hander Carlos Rodon on the mound for New York, the lefty-hitting Horwitz will begin Thursday's contest on the bench. Isiah Kiner-Falefa will shift to second base as a result, allowing Ernie Clement to start at third while batting ninth.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Spencer Horwitz: On bench Friday
Rotowire
Horwitz is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Guardians.
Horwitz will yield to Isiah Kiner-Falefa at the keystone Friday with southpaw Logan Allen on the mound for Cleveland. Horwitz had started at second base in five consecutive games since being called up June 7, but each of those contests featured a right-hander on the mound for the opposition.
