4 experiments the Blue Jays need to try to prepare for 2025

Check out Spencer Horwitz’s versatility if he can handle left field 

By now, we all know what Spencer Horwitz can provide with his bat. After all, he has been one of the more consistent hitters on the Jays team this season, batting a solid .272 with an .814 OPS, along with 45 runs scored, 19 doubles, 12 home runs and 36 RBI in 90 games played to date. Had he been with the team all year, he would have been on pace for a 20-homer, 70-RBI season. Not bad for someone who was finally getting his chance to shine in the majors after mashing it up minors for several seasons.

However, where Horwitz can play in the field in the long run remains a huge question mark. His position by trade is first base, but that is currently occupied by superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. His defense at second base in 2024 has been shaky, registering -5 DRS in just 39 games at the position. At just 26 years old, he seems too young to permanently put him into the designated hitter’s role, especially when the Jays prefer to use that spot to give regulars a day off in the field.

That leaves us with the potential experiment of deploying Horwitz out in left field, a position that he had played occasionally coming up from the minors. In 70 career games in the position, he has posted a solid .977 fielding percentage along with two outfield assists. If he can prove that he can also be a serviceable outfielder at the major league level, it gives the Jays the added versatility to keep his lethal bat in the lineup on a day-to-day basis. In addition, in the event Horwitz becomes a trade chip this offseason due to the overcrowded roster and limited 2025 spots available, adding this positional flexibility would make him an even more attractive asset to prospective teams.