José Tena’s path back to Cleveland has taken a strange little loop, and now he’s back where the Guardians first introduced him to the big leagues.
The Guardians claimed Tena off waivers from the Nationals on Thursday after Washington designated him for assignment earlier this week. It’s a reunion with a familiar face from the 2024 Lane Thomas trade, when Cleveland sent Tena to the Nationals as part of the return.
Tena’s first taste of the majors came on Aug. 5, 2023, and it arrived in chaotic fashion. About 15 minutes before he stepped onto a big league field for the first time, José Ramírez knocked Tim Anderson on his wallet, setting off a benches-clearing scrum that led to multiple ejections, including Ramírez’s. Tena then ran out to second base to replace him and make his debut.
For a while, that moment looked like it might stand as the defining snapshot of Tena’s Guardians tenure. Now it’s back in the frame.
He spent last season with Washington and appeared in a career-high 114 games, hitting .222/.302/.370 with seven home runs and 27 RBI. The Nationals used him all over the diamond, with 58 appearances at designated hitter - the most on the team - plus time at second base, third base, shortstop and the corner outfield spots.
Before the trade to Washington, Tena hit .200 in 21 games with Cleveland.
That’s been the general shape of his big league career so far: useful enough to hang around, but not quite loud enough to force his way into an everyday role.
Now the Guardians get another look. Because they claimed him on waivers, they’ll need to add him to the 40-man roster, though it’s not yet clear whether he’ll still be there by the end of the offseason. Short-term roster stints happen all the time this time of year.
What Tena does bring is infield depth, and he arrives without arbitration baggage. Cleveland already has an infield logjam with Bryan Rocchio, Travis Bazzana and Angel Genao, so this move doesn’t automatically point to a trade. But it does give the Guardians another option if they decide to shuffle that group.
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Guardians Dream Outfield Fit Would Test Clevelands Willingness To Spend
Randy Arozarenas strong 2026 season with the Mariners has put him back in the center of the free-agent conversation, and it is easy to see why he would draw attention from Cleveland. He gave Seattle a rare blend of impact and athleticism, hitting .281 with 26 home runs and 26 stolen bases, the kind of production that checks a lot of boxes for a Guardians lineup still looking for a right-handed power bat with speed.
The catch, of course, is the price. Arozarena is expected to land a deal in the neighborhood of four years and $90 million or more, which would be a meaningful test of how far Cleveland is willing to stretch financially for a player who could change the shape of its outfield. For a club that usually has to be selective with big commitments, the fit is obvious, but the decision would say plenty about how aggressively the Guardians want to chase a higher ceiling. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Bring Back A Familiar Name With Something Still To Prove
The Guardians added a familiar face back into the organization by claiming infielder Jos Tena off waivers from the Washington Nationals, bringing back a player they know well from his previous stint in Cleveland before he was traded in 2024. Tena gives the club another depth option with the kind of defensive versatility that can matter over a long season, especially for a roster that values players who can move around the infield and even handle the outfield when needed.
What Cleveland is still trying to sort out is whether Tena can take a step forward at the plate. His major league track record has been below average offensively, which is why this move is as much about evaluation as it is about immediate production. For now, the Guardians are betting that a second look at a familiar name might reveal more than the first one did. [Read more 🡒]
Cleveland Keeps Losing Pitching Minds And The Pressure Is Building
Joe Torres is the latest member of Clevelands pitching infrastructure to move on, leaving after five seasons as the clubs assistant pitching coach to take over as pitching coach with the Reds under Terry Francona. It is another reminder of how much of the organizations recent success has been built on continuity, and how often that continuity is tested when other teams come calling with bigger titles and expanded responsibilities.
For Cleveland, the challenge is less about one departure than the pattern itself. The club has watched coaches and front-office personnel leave for other organizations, and now it has to keep the machine running while sorting through internal options such as Brad Goldberg for the open spots. The Guardians have leaned on a clear organizational blueprint for years, but the pressure grows each time another key voice walks out the door. [Read more 🡒]