Spencer Horwitz DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz is out of the starting lineup ahead of Thursday's game against the Houston Astros. This is a rare off day for Horwitz who has started in every game since May 20. Horwitz has good power potential, but hasn't done much at the plate this season. He's slashing .230/.299/.328 with one home run and five RBI this season. That being said, Horwitz isn't someone worth rostering in most fantasy formats. Jared Triolo will cover first base and bat eighth versus left-hander Framber Valdez on Thursday.

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz had a productive game in his team's 8-5 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. Horowitz went 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBI in the losing effort. The veteran blasted his first homer of the season off Brewers starter Aaron Civale in the fourth inning, a shot that traveled 409 feet with an exit velocity of 104.8 MPH. Horowitz has appeared in just six games for the Pirates after missing the majority of the first two months of the season following right wrist surgery. He will look to stay hot as the Pirates' regular first baseman.

Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the Pittsburgh Pirates will activate first baseman Spencer Horwitz (wrist) from the injured list on Friday. Horwitz has been shelved since spring training after he underwent surgery to repair an extensor tendon in his thumb. Pittsburgh acquired him by trade last December in hopes that he'd solve their issues at first base, and he projects to be their everyday option there for the foreseeable future. The 27-year-old has only appeared in 112 games, with a bulk of that experience coming last season with the Blue Jays. He was solid for Toronto with 12 home runs, 19 doubles, 40 RBIs, and a .790 OPS over 97 contests. Horwitz didn't do anything too special during his rehab stint in the minors, but he did bat .323 with a double and a homer over 31 Triple-A at-bats.