Guardians Claim Jose Tena Off Waivers

Cleveland reacquires infielder Jose Tena after Washington designated him for assignment earlier this week.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Baseball

The Cleveland Guardians claimed infielder Jose Tena off waivers from the Washington Nationals. Washington had designated Tena for assignment earlier in the week, making him available to other clubs.

Why it matters

The move returns Tena to the organization that originally signed him and gives Cleveland depth at a position where he has already played at the major league level. It also reflects the ongoing roster churn that follows designations for assignment.

Tena's career line of .240 with 10 home runs and 59 RBIs across 226 games with Cleveland and Washington reflects a modest but established major league output. His 2025 season with Washington, a .222 average with seven home runs and six stolen bases, sits below that career mark, and the stub does not explain what roster role Cleveland plans for him.

The players

Jose Tena

Jose Tena is a Dominican-born infielder who signed with the Cleveland organization as an amateur free agent in 2017 and has since played for both Cleveland and Washington at the major league level.

Cleveland Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians are a Major League Baseball franchise based in Cleveland, Ohio, competing in the American League Central division.

Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals are a Major League Baseball franchise based in Washington, D.C., competing in the National League East division.

The details

Tena originally signed with Cleveland as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2017 and made his MLB debut with the club on Aug. 5, 2023. He was traded to Washington in the 2024 deal that brought Lane Thomas to Cleveland, and Cleveland has now reclaimed him through the waiver process.

2017: Tena signs with Cleveland as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic.
Aug. 5, 2023: Tena makes his major league debut with Cleveland.
2024: Tena is traded to Washington in the Lane Thomas deal.
Earlier this week: Washington designates Tena for assignment.
Nov. 6, 2026: Cleveland claims Tena off waivers.

Season Trajectory

The waiver claim returns a player Cleveland previously traded away in the 2024 Lane Thomas deal, undoing one thread of that exchange. For a roster still working through the back end of its depth chart, reclaiming a player with major league experience adds an option without a trade cost.

Tena's return gives Cleveland an infield option with major league experience and gives fantasy managers a player with modest career counting stats to monitor for playing time. Whether he moves into a regular role will depend on roster decisions the stub does not yet describe.

The takeaway

Waiver claims like this one show how quickly a player's standing can change once a team designates him for assignment. Readers tracking the Guardians should watch for the roster move that follows, since that will clarify Tena's role.