Trey Lipscomb Pushing Jose Tena for Spot on Nationals Bench
In this story:
A key position battle that is taking place for the Washington Nationals this spring is between Trey Lipscomb and Jose Tena for a bench spot on the major league roster.
Coming into camp, it seemed like Tena had the edge. He appeared in 50 big league games for the Nationals last year and slashed .243/.314/.355 with 13 doubles, two triples and 16 RBIs. While his OPS+ was nine points below the league average of 100, his defensive versatility across the infield made him a solid player to fill in as needed.
Meanwhile, Lipscomb struggled across 61 MLB contests in 2024 when he slashed .200/.268/.232 with just one home run, three doubles and 10 RBIs. He also only appeared in three major league games last season, which was not a good sign for his career. However, this spring is completely different for both players with the new regime coming in, and they'll have to show why they should be considered for the bench spot during the 2026 campaign.
Trey Lipscomb Looks Completely Different at the Plate
While spring training results have to be taken with a grain of salt, it's much better for players like Lipscomb to perform with the bat in their hands than not when considering their previous struggles in The Show. And so far, the 25-year-old has done just that.
Through 11 games entering play on Thursday, Lipscomb has gone 6-for-19 with a walk and only three strikeouts, good for a .316 batting average. Three of his six hits have also gone for extra bases, with that trio resulting in doubles. He's also recorded four RBIs, which is the third-most on the team.
Lipscomb has primarily played third base in the majors, with 56 appearances coming at the hot corner compared to only two at second and one at shortstop. That lack of defensive versatility could hurt him when it comes to Washington's eventual decision, but being able to provide offense when he's called upon off the bench is always a plus for any coaching staff.
How the 2022 third-round pick finishes spring training will determine a lot when it comes to his potential roster standing. But so far, Lipscomb has made a case to be part of the Nationals' major league roster.
Jose Tena Heating Up in March
Overall, it's been a struggle for Tena on offense this spring. He's gone just 3-for-17 at the plate with a home run and two RBIs. But he's walked an impressive eight times compared to striking out five across his 11 games, and he's starting to find himself in March.
In seven contests this month, he's recorded all three of his hits and is slashing .300/.588/.600. That's a good sign for both Tena and Washington, especially if they view him as the leader in the clubhouse when it comes to the infield bench spot.
While Tena is also in the same boat as Lipscomb when it comes to primarily playing third base in the bigs, he has more experience at second and shortstop than his counterpart. However, his defensive numbers are worse than what Lipscomb brings to the table, which is something that could hurt Tena.
With everything that has taken place during spring training thus far, this is a close battle between the two for a spot on the Nationals' big league bench. And it's something that likely will come down to the final days before manager Blake Butera has to make a decision.
Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai