The Pittsburgh Pirates made a trade with the Cleveland Guardians last offseason that netted them infielder Spencer Horwitz. The acquisition ultimately worked massively in the Pirates’ favor. The 2024 rookie standout finished off his second big league season with nearly identical numbers from last season, but turned on the jets in the second half. From the All-Star break through the end of the year, Horwitz slashed .305/.396/.520 with a 154 wRC+. He was arguably the only bright spot in the Pirates’ lineup.
What makes the Horwitz trade unique is Horwitz himself. He was a rookie in 2024 and was traded from a team that was retooling rather than going through a complete rebuild.