PHILADELPHIA – José Tena is back in the Nationals lineup for tonight’s series opener against the Phillies after missing two games against the Orioles due to a thumb injury.
The 23-year-old infielder, acquired from the Guardians in the Lane Thomas trade, sustained the injury while attempting to field a sharp ground ball during the fourth inning of Sunday’s loss to the Angels. He was hit while trying to execute a double play and left the game with a towel wrapped around his bleeding right thumb.
X-rays showed no broken bones, but the cut on Tena’s thumb was serious enough to keep him out of the lineup for the two games in Baltimore.
Now, Tena, who made history as the first player in franchise history to hit a walk-off in his debut on Saturday, returns to play third base and will bat eighth at Citizens Bank Park.
“He’s good. He’s gonna play today,” manager Davey Martinez said in a pregame media session. “He felt better yesterday, so he’s in the lineup today. We’ll see how he does.”
Meanwhile, the Nationals have decided not to activate Joey Gallo from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester for this series. Gallo himself feels he is not yet ready to return to the majors.
Despite going 2-for-3 with a home run for the Red Wings yesterday, Gallo is still recovering from a left hamstring strain that has kept him out since June 12.
“Gallo is still trying to get ready to play,” Martinez stated. “He’s done well. He hit a home run again yesterday. He’s feeling better, but he wants to continue to play and ensure he’s 100 percent.”
During his rehab assignment, Gallo has a batting average of .260, with six hits, two home runs, five runs, six RBIs, seven walks, and eight strikeouts over seven games. He is focused on being completely healed before rejoining the Nationals.
“He just wants to feel like he’s 100 percent,” Martinez said. “As soon as he feels that way, we’ll bring him back.”
It remains uncertain where Gallo will fit into the lineup upon his activation, as he has played first base, designated hitter, and right field during his time in Rochester.
Currently, the Nationals have Andrés Chaparro regularly playing first base and Alex Call performing well in right field. Additionally, top prospect Dylan Crews is on the verge of making his debut, and Juan Yepez is hitting .303 as the designated hitter.
Thus, while Gallo’s return is not immediate, it raises more questions than it answers.
* Here are some additional injury updates:
Trevor Williams threw a 20-pitch bullpen session, focusing solely on fastballs, and felt good afterward. The Nationals are continuing to build him up as he recovers from a right flexor muscle strain before the season concludes.
Cade Cavalli has returned to West Palm Beach, where he threw 25 balls at 90 feet and reported feeling good.
MacKenzie Gore’s bullpen session between starts went well yesterday, and he is still scheduled to start on Saturday. Martinez mentioned earlier this week that they plan to work on various aspects with the young left-hander to help him get back on track.
“It went well, so he’ll start Saturday,” Martinez said. “It’s all about consistent strikes and getting the ball over the plate. We discussed his pitch usage and different pitches. I know he will compete because that’s what he does, but it’s about pitch efficiency for him and throwing more strikes.”
Major League Baseball announced the 2025 spring training schedules for all 30 teams today.
The Nationals will kick off Grapefruit League play on Saturday, February 22, against the Astros as the “road” team at CACTI Park in the Palm Beaches. Their first home game will be the following day against the Mets.
They will face their usual opponents along Florida’s Atlantic Coast, including the Astros, Marlins, Cardinals, and Mets. The Nationals will host the Braves on February 27 and the Rays on March 16. They will also travel across the state for games against the Rays on March 13 in Port Charlotte and the Braves on March 14 in North Port.
There are five split-squad games scheduled: March 1 against the Marlins and at the Cardinals; March 10 against and at the Marlins; March 14 at the Astros and Braves; March 16 against the Mets and Rays; and March 23 against the Astros and at the Cardinals to conclude exhibition play.
The March 14 game against the Astros and the March 16 game against the Mets will both be part of MLB’s “Spring Breakout” series, showcasing the top prospects from both teams. The Nationals’ farm system was recently ranked as the No. 4 system by Baseball America and No. 10 by MLB Pipeline.
Leave a Reply