Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington continued plugging gaps on the major league roster last night at the MLB Winter Meetings, acquiring first baseman Spencer Horwitz from Cleveland in exchange for pitcher Luis Ortiz and prospects Michael Kennedy and Jack Hartle. He also signed RHP Elvis Alvarado to a split contract for the 2025 season.
Horwitz will reunite with hitting coach Matt Hague, as both were part of the Blue Jays last year. While in Toronto, Horwitz hit .265 with 12 home runs and 40 RBI last season, and he carries a combined OPS of .783 between 2023 and 2024. Oddly enough, Horwitz was traded TO Cleveland earlier in the day for infielder Andres Gimenez and pitcher Nick Sandlin.
Alvarado pitched 48-and-one-third innings for Miami’s Triple-A affiliate Jacksonville last season. His four-seam fastball sits in the mid-90s and can top out at 100 miles per hour, on occasion. Opponents hit .195 against him last year and he tallied 71 strikeouts and just 38 walks.
Cherington might not be done adding, though, as he said the offense needs to improve in 2025.
The Pirates are in need of a corner outfielder, another first baseman, and a left-handed reliever, and they could add one or all of those pieces by the end of today’s session, which is headlined by the Rule 5 Draft today at 2.
The Washington Nationals won the 2025 MLB Draft Lottery despite having a 10 percent chance. The Pirates landed the sixth pick, while the Rockies, who had a 22 percent shot at the top pick, settled for fourth.
MLB
Other deals from yesterday’s Winter Meetings session include:
- LHP Max Fried signing an 8-year, $215 million deal with the Yankees.
- RHP Nathan Eovaldi returning to Texas on a three-year, $75 million deal.
- RHP Yimi Garcia re-signing with Toronto.
- Infielder Thairo Estrada agreeing to a one-year contract with Colorado.
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