Spencer Horwitz is close enough to a return that the Pirates are already watching the final checkpoints, and on Friday they got a scare they did not need.
The Pittsburgh first baseman was hit in the face during his rehab assignment with Single-A Bradenton in a 7-5 home win over Dunedin on July 25, but he stayed in the game and kept producing. Horwitz reached base after the pitch in the third inning, then later launched a solo home run in the fifth.
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said on The Pirates Insider Show on 93.7 The Fan that the contact appears to have left Horwitz with a bruise rather than anything more serious.
“He got clipped in that kind of C-Flap area, part that comes down to cover the jaw and later hit a home run. So evaluated this morning, it appears to be presenting, he was hit and so he feels something, but it appears to be presenting more as a bruise.
“So the plan for him is still to travel back to Pittsburgh today. Obviously with flights, you want to make sure, we’re on top of the concussion element of that before he’s traveling.
But he went through an assessment earlier this morning and we’re comfortable with him traveling and we’ll just, when he gets here, make sure to check him again. Double-check and make sure he’s in a good spot.”
“Want to make sure that getting hit last night didn’t cause anything that we need to know about, but he’s safe to travel and we’ll get our hands around it.”
Horwitz is expected back in Pittsburgh at some point today, where the Pirates will run another check to make sure he remains in good shape after the initial evaluation.
The club has been waiting more than a month to get him back. Horwitz strained his left hamstring while trying to beat out a double play against the Seattle Mariners on June 24, then went on the 10-day injured list the next day.
Pittsburgh later sent him to Bradenton to begin a rehab assignment, and he has now played three games there since July 21. In that stretch, he went 2-for-6 with three walks and added the home run.
Before the injury, Horwitz had become a key part of the Pirates’ lineup, working as their starting first baseman and hitting well across the order. In 74 games, he posted a .280/.386/.455 line with an .841 OPS, along with 69 hits, 11 doubles, a triple, 10 home runs, 33 RBI and 40 walks against 40 strikeouts.
The Pirates are hoping to have him back soon as they continue to push through a competitive National League Wild Card race.
In Other News...
Pirates Suddenly Have A Worrying Setback With A Promising Young Arm
Khristian Curtis rapid rise through the Pirates system hit a pause at Triple-A Indianapolis, where the promising right-hander was sidelined after his most recent outing. Curtis had only just made his major league debut and had quickly become one of the more closely watched young arms in the organization, giving Pittsburgh another pitcher worth tracking as the season moved along.
The setback came after Curtis left his July 24 start against Lehigh Valley in the eighth inning, following 3.2 innings of work. For the Pirates, the timing is less than ideal with a pitcher who had shown plenty to like in his first big-league look, and now the focus shifts to how quickly he can get back on the mound and whether this is a brief interruption or something that lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Paul Skenes Looked Set For Another Win Until Cubs Flipped Everything
Paul Skenes had been rolling into this start with a 2.45 ERA and three straight wins, and for much of the afternoon in Chicago it looked like he might keep the run going. He piled up a season-high 11 strikeouts and was working deep enough to give the Pirates a chance, but the outing turned sharply in the fifth and left him charged with five earned runs over 5 1/3 innings.
The Pirates were still in position to think about another win until the Cubs broke the game open, with the decisive inning built around traffic on the bases and a swing that changed the mood in a hurry. Skenes exited with Pittsburgh trailing 3-0, a frustrating finish for a pitcher who had been aiming for a fourth consecutive victory and instead saw one rough frame undo an otherwise promising night. [Read more 🡒]