Guardians Claim Jose Tena Off Waivers

By Dean Koutouratsas

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

November 9, 2026

The Cleveland Guardians claimed designated hitter Jose Tena off waivers from the Washington Nationals on Monday. Tena, 25, spent the first two seasons of his career with the Guardians after making his major league debut in 2023. The Guardians also signed free agent left-hander Antoine Kelly to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training in 2027.

Jose Tena Rejoins Guardians

In his first season with the Guardians, Tena recorded seven hits, two doubles and three RBI on a .226 average. His first go-around with the Guardians ended after three appearances in 2024. After that, he joined the Nationals, tallying 43 hits, five doubles, 15 RBI and three home runs in 41 appearances.

Jose Tena made improvements across his next two seasons with the Nationals. For instance, he totaled 37 hits, 13 doubles and 16 RBI in 2025. He had his best season in 2026 when he had 57 hits, 25 RBI and seven home runs with 15 extra base hits. In 114 appearances, he slashed .222/.302/.370 on a .672 OPS. Still, the Nationals placed him on waivers on Friday.

Pena also provides the Guardians with another left-handed hitter. His presence could make a difference on the team. The Guardians are coming off an eventful postseason run in which they reached the 2026 ALCS but fell to the Tampa Bay Rays in six games.

Kelly Signed

After claiming Jose Tena off waivers, the Guardians also signed Kelly. The lefty reliever made his major league debut with the Chicago Cubs in 2026, making one appearance. Before making his debut, he spent seven years in the minor leagues. He spent time with the Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers farms systems before debuting with the Cubs system. Across 203 appearances, he owned a 12–18 record with 427 strikeouts and a 4.73 ERA. In 333 innings, he had 15 career saves and a 1.498 WHIP. However, he gave up 277 hits, 175 earned runs and 21 home runs and 223 walks.

Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images

Share "Guardians Claim Jose Tena Off Waivers" on social media:

More Cleveland Guardians News

Dean Koutouratsas

As a sophomore journalism student at St. John’s University in Queens, New York, Dean Koutouratsas is an aspiring sports journalist with practical experience covering the MLB. He has previously published his work under Athlon Sports, Glitter Magazine and his university’s student run newspaper where he covered his favorite MLB team the New York Mets on multiple occasions.

Dean resides in New York and enjoys attending Mets games during the summer. He can be contacted via X or Linkdien.