Jose Tena is back where his pro career started.
The Cleveland Guardians claimed the infielder off waivers from the Washington Nationals on Friday afternoon, bringing back a player they once developed, traded away in 2024, and now have another shot to evaluate.
Tena’s name will ring a bell for Guardians fans because he was part of the deal that sent Lane Thomas from Washington to Cleveland at the 2024 deadline. Thomas later delivered one of the most memorable home runs in Cleveland playoff history during that year’s ALDS, which only sharpened the memory of the trade for fans.
Before the move to the Nationals, Tena had been a notable piece in Cleveland’s system. He was the Guardians’ No. 9 overall prospect in 2022 and spent time in the middle of a crowded infield picture that also included Andres Gimenez, Brayan Rocchio, Gabriel Arias, Juan Brito, and Tyler Freeman.
Cleveland eventually moved on from Tena as part of its long-term plan, but the organization is now giving him another look after Washington designated him for assignment earlier this month.
There’s still some reason to believe he can carve out a role. Tena has 288 career plate appearances and owns a .240/.302/.370 slash line. In 2026 with the Nationals, he posted a .672 OPS, which was a career best.
The left-handed hitter’s most noticeable offensive trait has been power, even with a frame listed at five-foot-ten and 195 pounds. Last season, he produced a 90.6 mph average exit velocity and a 46.4 percent hard-hit rate, both comfortably above league average. His bat speed also jumped to 73.9 mph, a clear step up from the year before.
Defensively, Tena hasn’t built a reputation as a standout, but he does bring versatility. He has played second base, third base, shortstop, left field, and right field during his career.
What comes next will depend on how the rest of the offseason unfolds, but Tena’s role and where he might fit could become a spring training storyline for the Guardians.
In Other News...
Guardians Free Agent Search Keeps Pointing To The Same Type Of Target
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What makes the list interesting is less the star power than the pattern. These are the kinds of targets that can make sense for Cleveland if the front office believes there is more value to unlock than the market is currently assigning, especially with budget constraints shaping every move. None of it points to a finished plan yet, but it does suggest the Guardians are once again shopping in the same aisle they have preferred before, where upside and affordability matter as much as the headline. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Have Their First Base Answer Closer Than Expected
Ralphy Velazquezs rise through the Guardians system has given the organization something it has been searching for at first base: a real internal option with impact upside. After being drafted in 2023 as a catcher and quickly shifted to first base, he put together a breakout 2026 season that showed why Cleveland has kept moving him along, combining power and contact across Double-A and Triple-A while looking like a bat that could fit sooner rather than later.
For a club that has been looking for more offense at that spot, Velazquezs development has become one of the more intriguing storylines in the system. The Guardians are expected to at least consider him for a major league look in 2027, and if his bat keeps trending the way it did this year, the question may not be whether he belongs in the conversation but how soon they are willing to make room for him. [Read more 🡒]
Chase DeLauter Has A Strong Rookie Of The Year Case
Chase DeLauter spent enough of the season making noise that his name belongs in the Rookie of the Year conversation even if it never made the finalist list. The Cleveland outfielders offensive production stacked up well against the 2026 finalists, and when you line his numbers up beside Kevin McGonigles, the gap is not nearly as wide as the voting results suggest. For a player who has already given the Guardians a real look at his ceiling, that alone is a meaningful sign of where his rookie year landed.
The separation came more from the fuller picture than from the bat alone, with WAR and games played helping explain why the finalists ended up where they did. DeLauter can still make a legitimate case that he belonged in that group, and Cleveland fans have every reason to view him as one of the seasons most impressive first-year performers. Even so, the voters choices are easy enough to understand, which is part of what makes DeLauters season feel both encouraging and just a little unfinished. [Read more 🡒]