We can probably all agree that the Washington Nationals "won the trade" when they sent outfielder Lane Thomas to the Cleveland Guardians for three minor league prospects. At the time, left-handed pitcher Alex Clemmey (currently this organization's No. 6 prospect, per MLB Pipeline), was viewed as the crowning jewel. That might still be true, but Clemmey was not the only valuable asset acquired in that trade. In fact, there was a big-league ready bat who has singlehandedly replaced Thomas' production in the lineup.
Since arriving from Cleveland, infielder Jose Tena has been among Washington's best and most consistent hitters. Despite minimal major league experience prior to the trade, Tena immediately showed the ability to hit the ball hard consistently without a ton of swing and miss.
Through his first 38 games as a member of the Nationals, Tena is batting an impressive .297 with six stolen bases. In his last four games, during a stretch in which the team has forgotten how to score runs amidst a 31-inning scoreless streak, Tena has hits in five of his last 15 at bats (.333 batting average). He hasn't played enough to qualify among the league leaders, but in areas related to hitting the ball with authority, his Baseball Savant page features a whole lot of red - which is what you want to see! As a result of his success, he's rapidly ascending to the heart of the batting order.
To be clear, he's not a perfect hitter by any means. He's a bit of a free swinger, although he doesn't miss particularly often - much like fellow young infielder Luis Garcia, Jr. Tena has drawn only seven walks in 152 plate appearances, while striking out 31 times. His hard-hitting ability also hasn't translated to as many extra base hits (and especially home runs) as you'd prefer, either. His ISO (isolated power) rate of .096 echoes his lack of power production, which appears to be mostly a product of a relatively low launch angle.
For a utility infielder with solid base stealing ability, he's also not as fast as you might expect. Although he's bounced back this season to the tune of a 73rd percentile sprint speed at 28.1 feet per second, he was only rated in the 36th percentile in a limited sample size in this same metric last year.
Still, he feels like he's making the most of a skillset that hasn't been viewed particularly highly from the outside. He was not one of Cleveland's top 30 prospects at the time of his departure. In that regard, fellow infielder Rafael Ramirez, Jr. - Washington's No. 20 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, who was acquired in the same trade - was regarded more favorably, although he's much further away from the major leagues and finished his season in Class A Fredericksburg.
There is some question about Tena's long-term fit in the lineup, particularly in the field. He was essentially anointed as Washington's everyday third baseman right away, replacing Trey Lipscomb, but his results have been mixed at best for him there. He appears to have the necessary skills to play the position - in fact, he boasts 76th percentile arm strength - but consistency has been a challenge for him. In only 262 innings, Tena has committed nine errors at the hot corner.
This shouldn't have come as a surprise, because he's actually quite raw in this regard. Tena had very little experience at third base, dating back to his time in the minor leagues. He played 36 games and 302 innings at that spot in the junior circuit, and only a handful of appearances in Cleveland. Rather, aside from his usage in Washington, the vast majority of his reps have come at shortstop and second base.
José Tena sure looks like a second baseman to me.
— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) September 26, 2024
To that end, Tena has begun to draw more looks at second base. In fact, he's started each of the team's last four games at the keystone, and he's looked much more natural at this spot. That may raise some question about whether Tena and Garcia fit together. With Tena at second base, Garcia - who hasn't proven to be playable at any other position - has been serving as a designated hitter. That's a problem to be addressed down the road, but the fact that Tena has made this a conversation (largely due to his productivity at the plate) is a testament to how quickly he's proven himself to be a very valuable player. Tena's (at least theoretical) utilityman ability also helps his cause.
As the offseason approaches, Jose Tena is cementing himself as a lock to make next year's Opening Day roster, and very possibly as a starter - especially if star prospect Brady House begins next year in Triple-A Rochester.