The Cleveland Guardians have been one of the most active teams in the past 24 hours as the Winter Meetings continue in Dallas, Texas.
Reports indicate that they traded Andres Gimenez and Nick Sandlin to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for 1B/2B Spencer Horwitz and Minor League OF Nick Mitchell.
However, Horwitz’s stay in Cleveland was short-lived, as he was soon traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
According to Mark Feinsand of The Athletic, the Guardians acquired LHP Josh Hartle, RHP Luis Ortiz, and LHP Michael Kennedy from Pittsburgh in exchange for Horwitz.
The centerpiece of this trade is Hartle, who ranks as Pittsburgh’s 17th-best prospect (according to MLB Pipeline). He was selected in the 2024 MLB Draft as the 83rd overall pick and spent the rest of the year with Pittsburgh’s High-A affiliate.
In addition to Hartle, Cleveland also receives Kennedy, a 20-year-old left-hander currently playing at the High-A level. Kennedy was drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
While Hartle and Kennedy are unlikely to make their Major League debuts soon, Ortiz could make an immediate impact for the Guardians. The 25-year-old right-hander appeared in 37 games for the Pirates last season, including 15 starts. As a starter, Ortiz posted a 3.22 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. Given the current state of Cleveland’s rotation, it’s possible Ortiz could fill a starting role with the Guardians.
With the Guardians staying active, it will be interesting to see if they make any further moves before the Winter Meetings conclude.
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