Even with three weeks remaining in the 2024 season, we can safely assume Spencer Horwitz will be part of the equation for the Toronto Blue Jays in ’25 as they attempt to return to a competitive state. However, the extent to which his role will entail remains a giant unknown.

But one thing is clear: his bat will play at this level.

It has been 94 days since Horwitz played his first big-league game of the year on June 8. In that span, the left-handed-hitting first baseman owns 17 doubles, 12 home runs, 34 RBIs and a .274/.359/.467 slash line across 81 contests. Entering Monday’s series opener against the New York Mets, he was one of 30 major-league hitters out of 147 who qualified (min. 250 plate appearances) to record a 135 wRC+ or better since his call-up in June.

By now, everyone is well aware of the 26-year-old’s exceptional plate discipline, which has led to a 73rd-percentile strikeout (17.8 per cent), 78th-percentile walk (10.5 per cent) and 80th-percentile whiff rates (19.2 per cent). But he’s been creating damage, too, posting an above-average barrel rate of 9.5 per cent that sits in the 64th percentile.

Maximizing his launch angle is another element that’s helped Horwitz generate a bit more thump in the majors this season. Quietly, he’s been one of the most effective hitters in baseball at consistently repeating his launch angle sweet-spot — a batted-ball event that produces a LA between eight and 32 degrees — with his 39.4-per-cent clip positioned in the 93rd percentile.

Why is this important? It’s allowed Horwitz to elevate pitches effectively, resulting in a 22.2-per-cent line-drive rate, which leads all Blue Jays hitters since June 8. Keeping balls off the ground has also played a factor in neutralizing his below-average hard-hit rate (38.5 per cent, 38th percentile) and average exit velocity (88.6 m.p.h., 38th), helping him slightly outperform his expected results.

From everything we’ve seen thus far, there’s no question he has the potential to emerge into an everyday player for the Blue Jays’ offence next season. At the same time, there’s still one box the 5-foot-10 lefty has to check off before he can be crowned a regular lineup fixture: hitting against left-handed pitching.

The sample size has been relatively small in 2024, as evidenced by Horwitz’s 60 plate appearances in left-on-left matchups. While he’s flashed a few promising signs, his overall results versus southpaws are pretty bleak, given his .167/.233/.204 slash line, .203 wOBA and 28 wRC+.

Understandably, those woes have reduced Horwitz’s opportunities to face lefties recently, as he’s earned just eight plate appearances since Aug. 27, recording only a single in that span. The jury is still out on whether he can turn things around, and the best avenue to solve that mystery would be continuing to test him against southpaws. But Toronto’s opinion on that matter has clearly shifted.

He didn’t start against left-hander Chris Sale in Atlanta on Sunday, as the coaching staff loaded up eight righties to face this season’s NL Cy Young front-runner. Still, the 2019 24th-round selection capped off a phenomenal weekend series versus the Braves with a pair of hits off the bench, including a pinch-hit, go-ahead two-run bomb.

What transpired afterwards, though, was symbolic of the internal struggle the Blue Jays brass has likely had in evaluating Horwitz’s 2025 status.

After being inserted as a pinch-hitter for Leo Jiménez, Horwitz took over at second base to begin the bottom of the eighth inning. On the first play, he allowed Gio Urshela to advance to second on a throwing error, his second infraction in 288 innings at that position. Then, he couldn’t make a play on a hard-hit grounder from Eli White in the ninth, who ultimately came around to score to force the game into extra innings.

But it’s also crucial to note Horwitz hadn’t played a single inning at second since Aug. 18 before Sunday’s series finale at Truist Park. Between those dates, he spent 18 consecutive games at first, DH or as a pinch-hitter.

Looking ahead to next season, the left-hander’s offensive profile certainly appears major-league-ready, even if primarily used against right-handed pitching. However, his defensive position and where his reps will come from remain huge question marks.

Based on Horwitz’s deployment these last few weeks, it seems Toronto’s coaching staff has put a pin in the second-base conversation for now. The results haven’t been terrible, although they haven’t been great either, as he’s posted minus-five defensive runs saved and zero outs above average.

Simply put, the Blue Jays have more suitable options at second, such as Jiménez and Will Wagner, a rookie duo who could potentially open next season as two halves of a platoon arrangement on the right side of the infield.

That would leave Horwitz — who ranks second among Blue Jays position players in fWAR (1.8) this season since he arrived from triple-A, trailing only Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (3.6) — in an interesting position.

More often than not, first base will be occupied by Guerrero in 2025. But he could occasionally move to third, just as he’s done this season. That alone won’t create sufficient at-bats for Horwitz, though. And he likely wouldn’t receive much of a boost by splitting time at second, either.

You can probably see where this is trending.

In all likelihood, the DH position seems to be Horwitz’s most realistic landing spot. But the only problem with committing to a platoon usage at that position is it’d force Toronto’s front office to exclusively pursue a right-handed complement rather than seeking the best talent available — perhaps like switch-hitter Anthony Santander, who profiles as a full-time DH.

DH platoons can be an effective strategy. For example, it’s worked quite well for the Arizona Diamondbacks, who’ve mostly started Joc Pederson versus righties and Randal Grichuk against lefties this season. At the same time, though, that doesn’t mean the Blue Jays should immediately lock themselves into a similar path.

The main objective should be to acquire the top offence-only hitter available. If that ends up being Santander, then so be it. They can figure out where Horwitz fits into the equation afterwards. If they miss out on the notable full-time DH types, that’s when the platoon option should enter the conversation — but only then.

With that in mind, much of Horwitz’s 2025 role will probably be determined by what unfolds for this franchise during a second straight pivotal off-season.