Six weeks have passed since the trade deadline, and the Washington Nationals are already reaping the benefits of the prospects they acquired. In particular, First baseman Andrés Chaparro and infielder José Tena have emerged as standout performers in their early tenure with the Nationals. Their contributions have been especially promising, suggesting that they could become integral assets for the team in the future. While it’s unlikely that either player will reach superstar status, their performances so far have certainly warranted a permanent place on the Nationals’ roster.
Trade Deadline Steals Boosting Nationals’ Success
Tena is Crushing the Ball
Tena was traded to the Nationals in exchange for Lane Thomas, going from Cleveland to Washington. He wasn’t even the most highly regarded prospect received in the trade. Young pitcher Alex Clemmey was the main attraction of the trade, but he has yet to make his major league debut. On the other hand, Tena has quickly made a positive impact with his batting for the Nationals. While Tena’s defense is still improving, he is hitting .307/.344/.398 in 93 plate appearances. Despite this, advanced statistics suggest that Tena has the potential for even more power, with an expected slugging percentage of .521.
Hitting Leaders – Last 100 Swings
Most Barrels:
Giancarlo Stanton: 12 Brls
Lawrence Butler: 12 Brls
Shohei Ohtani: 10 Brls
Yordan Alvarez: 9 Brls
Patrick Wisdom: 8 Brls
Juan Soto: 8 Brls
Jose Tena: 8 Brls
Taylor Ward: 8 Brls
Seiya Suzuki: 7 Brls— Jon Anderson (@JonPgh) September 7, 2024
Tena has been performing exceptionally well in a Nationals uniform. His average exit velocity is 92.8 MPH, which is almost as impressive as James Wood‘s 93 mph. Tena’s hard-hit percentage is even higher than Wood’s, at 54.3 percent. According to Statcast numbers, it seems that Tena has been experiencing some bad luck. His wOBA currently sits at .313, but his expected wOBA (xWOBA) is nearly elite at .363. Tena’s success can be attributed to his ability to excel against fastballs and changeups. He has a batting average of .367 against fastballs and .500 against changeups. However, he is having difficulty against breaking balls, hitting just .121 with 14 strikeouts in 34 at-bats. His exit velocity drops from 94.9 mph against fastballs to 82.3 mph against breaking balls. Nevertheless, as long as he continues to perform well against fastballs, he should have a significant role on the team.
Chaparro Keeps on Hitting
Chaparro had an impressive Minor League career as a great hitter, and his success has carried over to the MLB. In Triple-A Reno and Triple-A Rochester, he batted .328 with 23 home runs and a .977 OPS. After joining the Diamondbacks as a Minor League free agent in the offseason, he was acquired by the Nationals in the Dylan Floro trade. Since being called up, Chaparro has maintained a .256 batting average with an .812 OPS. Notably, he has excelled against left-handed pitching, hitting .345 with a 1.114 OPS. Chaparro has shown prowess in generating extra-base hits, with 13 of his 22 hits being for extra bases. Additionally, he has recently displayed more power, hitting all four of his home runs in the last 15 games.
Ryan Borucki’s soul left his body when Andrés Chaparro connected on his pitch 🫢
(via @Nationals)
pic.twitter.com/jfOxGIT8lW— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 8, 2024
While Chaparro is not known for his defensive contributions and isn’t expected to become a star player, he is considered a valuable acquisition. Acquiring a quality bat for a mediocre reliever is a positive outcome for general manager Mike Rizzo. Looking ahead, Chaparro’s ideal role next season would be as a platoon player who can serve as a designated hitter or first baseman, mainly against left-handed pitching. If the Nationals paired Chaparro with a left-handed hitting free agent, such as Joc Pederson, they could form a formidable platoon.
Long Term Outlook
Rizzo’s strength as an executive is making good trades. Jose Tena and Andres Chaparro already look like shrewd acquisitions. Both players are impactful part-time players at worst, and potential regulars at best. Getting that return for Dylan Floro and the second piece of a Lane Thomas trade is a win. Both players have flaws but look like solid big leaguers. The Nationals need solid big leaguers to support their exciting young core, and they have two of them in Chaparro and Tena.
Main Photo: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
