Tena has a great Nationals debut:
One of three prospects acquired from Cleveland in the deadline trade that sent Lane Thomas to the Guardians, 23-year-old Jose Tena didn’t know many people in the Nationals clubhouse when he was promoted to the Nationals on Saturday afternoon, but as Washington captain Davey Martinez said after Tena hit the game-tying and game-winning hits in his Nationals debut, “I think his teammates know who he is now.”
GM and president of team operations Mike Rizzo spoke about what the Nationals got in Tena on the night of the 2024 trade deadline.
“He’s a versatile guy who can play the middle of the diamond and other positions,” Rizzo explained, “and he’s a left-handed hitter with incredible power, he runs the bases well and is a productive player both at the plate and defensively.”
Photo: Scott Tetch/Getty Images
“We’re excited to see what kind of impact he’ll have on our team when he makes it to the major leagues. I think his base level is very low, but he has a lot of potential. He’s 23 years old and just keeps getting better. He’s been on a roll this season. He’s got a really fast bat and power, and I really like the way he plays the infield.”
Tena appeared in 21 major league games with the Guardians from 2023-2024, batting .200/.263/.257 with two doubles, three walks and 15 strikeouts in 38 at-bats, but is batting in Triple-A Cleveland this season.In 90 games, he hit .298/.353/.493 with 17 doubles, 17 home runs and 405 at-bats.), and after a brief 10-game stint with the Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate Rochester, he was called upon and named to the Nationals’ lineup for last night’s game.
“Jose has been swinging the bat really well in Triple-A,” Martinez said before last night’s win, “so we’re going to give him a chance to come out here and play. He’ll be playing third base today, but he’s also played shortstop and second base.”
“But he’s playing third base today. He’s a pretty good player. I’ve watched some tape of him. His movement is pretty good. He can hit, so we’ll give him a chance and see what he can do here.”
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Photo: Scott Tetch/Getty Images
When asked what he likes about Tena’s swing, Martinez said, “He stays behind the ball, he uses his feet really well and he’s got power, so he’s definitely a great addition to the lineup.”
Tena, who batted sixth in the Nationals’ lineup and third in the second of three games against the Los Angeles Angels in Washington, D.C., went 0-for-2 against right-hander Griffin Canning, grounding out in his first game and hitting a fly to left field in his second.
But in the seventh inning, with the Angels leading 4-3 and James Wood scoring with a double, Tena returned to the mound against Canning and, with a full count, hit a fastball to left field to make it 4-4. Then in the 10th, after free runner C.J. Abrams advanced to third on a wild pitch, he hit reliever Roansy Contreras’ 1-0 fastball over the wall in left field to give the home team its second consecutive walk-off win at Nationals Park.
“I’m very proud,” Tena said after the game. Quote from MASN’s Bobby Blanco“I’ve worked so hard for moments like this and I’m so proud.”
The new manager gave him confidence on his way to the plate.
“The coach told me I was going to win the game,” Tena said.
“And when I knew that hit was going to be the one that decided the game, I turned around and gave him a little wink.”
“When you watch his tape, he’s got a lot of contact with the ball, and like I said, he has a really good short swing,” Martinez said after the game.
“He has really quick hands, but he keeps his feet on the ground. I told him not to bunt. I want you to create this run. I told him to try to stay in the middle of the field, and he took advantage of that. But he has a good swing.”
“He understands the hitting part of the game, he really does,” the manager added.
“He doesn’t try to do too much, he moves the ball a little bit and makes plays.
“We knew that about him. And he was moving pretty well at third base, too. He really was. He made a nice double play. He’ll be OK. You can tell he loves playing baseball. That’s great. He was super excited after the game. He’s going to get a chance to play here.”
