PHILADELPHIA — Soon after undergoing surgery to repair the AC joint in his right shoulder, Washington Nationals left fielder Jayson Werth had two dates in his mind for a possible return. If he couldn’t start on Opening Day at Nationals Park, he wanted to start on another type of Opening Day, when the Nationals play the Red Sox in Boston’s home opener Monday.
Werth did not hit his first benchmark, but the second is still very much in play. The 35-year-old played in a doubleheader at Single-A Potomac on Saturday, starting in left field in the first game and serving as a designated hitter in the second. Altogether, he went 1-for-4 with two walks and a solo home run. Both games were only seven innings long.
Manager Matt Williams had yet to receive a report from the second game of the doubleheader when he spoke to reporters Saturday, and he said he wants to wait and see how Werth feels Sunday before making any decisions. However, Williams also hinted at a Monday return, barring any setbacks.
“There’s a possibility for Monday,” Williams said from the visiting clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park. “I wouldn’t say for sure yet because we have to see how he feels tomorrow coming out of it, but it’s possible.”
Werth’s rehabilitation process has been relatively smooth since his Jan. 9 surgery. He has been running the bases and fielding in the outfield for several weeks and continued to show progress at the plate. He hit in simulated games at Nationals Park on Tuesday and Wednesday before arriving at Potomac on Thursday.
Williams had previously said he would like to Werth play a full game in consecutive days before returning, but a rainout Friday prevented him from doing so. Playing in a doubleheader was not part of the plan. The progress Werth has shown to this point, however, is encouraging.
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“He came out of the first [game] great. And he feels good about it,” Williams said. “So those are all positive signs, good news. He’s starting to get in the flow of games, so we’re excited about that.”
Janssen resumes throwing program without incident
Right-hander reliever Casey Janssen returned to Viera, Florida, on Thursday as he continues to work through the rotator cuff tendinitis in his right shoulder. He played catch Friday without issue, Williams said, and was irked Saturday when told to take the day off.
“That’s a really good sign,” Williams said. “That’s part of the protocol. You throw, then you take a day and get some work and some strength, throw again. That’ll happen the first few times as he goes day to day. But the fact that he was not happy because he couldn’t throw is a really good sign. It means he feels good after yesterday. So that’s important.”
• Tom Schad can be reached at tschad@washingtontimes.com.
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