With 1st HR, 3-hit game, Tena showing his potential in regular playing time

ATLANTA -- It wasn’t a night to remember for the Nationals as a team, but 23-year-old third baseman José Tena won’t soon forget Saturday night’s game at Truist Park.

Despite a 4-2 loss to the Braves that clinched a series win for Atlanta, Tena had the best night of his young MLB career thus far.

Tena, who was traded to the Nationals from the Guardians on July 29 as part of the Lane Thomas deal, went 3-for-4 and hit his first MLB home run on Saturday. With one out in the top of the second, Tena blasted a Statcast-projected 394-foot two-run homer into the right-field bleachers.

“I kept running the bases with a big smile on my face,” Tena said through Nationals interpreter Octavio Martinez. “Thank God for giving me the opportunity to hit my first home run.”

Tena made his MLB debut in 2023 and was playing in his 31st Major League game on Saturday. It was Tena’s 72nd MLB plate appearance. He was pointing at the Nationals’ dugout and smiling during his home run trot.

“[I was pointing at second baseman Luis] García because he had told me, ‘When are you going to hit your first home run?’” said Tena, a Dominican native who was signed by Cleveland in 2017 as an international free agent.

The homer was on a 2-1 changeup from Braves starting pitcher Charlie Morton, who allowed just the two runs.

“It was awesome,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said of the home run. “It was a hit-and-run. He stayed on the ball really well. He’s been hitting. I love the way he swings. He stays back on the ball, and uses his legs really [well]. He doesn’t try to do a whole lot.”

Tena’s home run ball went into the Chop House bleachers beyond right field at Truist Park, but Tena got the ball back.

“It was very special,” Tena said. “I dedicated it to my father.”

In his 31 MLB games over two seasons, Tena is slashing .300/.347/.386 with a .733 OPS. In 530 Minor League games played, Tena’s slash line is .284/.338/.441 with an OPS of .779. Tena has 600 Minor League hits with 58 home runs and 283 RBIs.

“It’s just staying focused and keep working hard and preparing myself like I have been every game,” Tena said. “[I] just thank God for the opportunity to actually be able to succeed up here.”

Tena played just three games with Cleveland in the Majors this season before being traded. He’s played in 10 games since being recalled from Triple-A on Aug. 10.

“It’s a great opportunity to be able to play every day,” Tena said. “I wasn’t able to last year. I felt like I got some opportunities, but not like I am this season. I thank God for the opportunity to show what I can do.”

With the Nationals, Tena is 14-for-35, and his slash line is .400/.432/.514. Tena has five multi-hit games for Washington, and Saturday was his first MLB three-hit game.

“I just stay focused on every individual at-bat,” Tena said. “I treat them individually. I can possibly have players on base in scoring position, try to drive them in and help the team in any way possible.

After the home run, Tena tallied two singles, and was responsible for three of Washington’s 10 hits.

“I definitely feel more comfortable [than I did two weeks ago]," Tena said. "I feel like I have a better idea when it comes to both hitting and the pitching side of it at this level.”

“He gets back, when he lets it go he takes a good swing, but he tries to stay in the middle of the field,” Martinez said. “He’s been having some good at-bats.”

Tena flashed his leather, too. In the bottom of the sixth, Tena made a diving stop down the third-base line that prevented a potential RBI double off the bat of Gio Urshela. Though Tena did not throw Urshela out, it prevented Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud from scoring from second.

“He was over in Cleveland with [José] Ramírez, and he said he learned a lot from him,” Martinez said. “He hits and he made a heck of a play to keep that run from scoring at third base.”

While Tena was hot at the plate, the Nationals were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

“The pitching was pretty good, we only held these guys down to [four] runs,” Martinez said. “It’s the hitting. We went [0-for-9] with runners in scoring position again. We have to start driving in runs.”