VIERA, Fla. — It’s not much, but it’s a start. Jayson Werth was scheduled to do light toss and take swings Wednesday, according to Nationals manager Matt Williams. Werth had an eventful offseason which included shoulder surgery and five days in jail for a speeding violation. He’s working his way back from the surgery.
Werth had surgery to repair the AC joint in his right shoulder Jan. 9. The team said at the time of Werth’s surgery he would miss two to three months. General manager Mike Rizzo has said he is optimistic Werth could be ready for Opening Day.
“It’s going to be a process of course, but he’ll get a baseball in his hand [Wednesday],” Williams said.
Werth’s absence creates a spot in left field, which could be filled, in part, by Nate McLouth, who had surgery in August 2014 to repair a torn labrum. He missed the remainder of the season and is working through the extensive rehabilitation process.
Wednesday is expected to be the left-handed McLouth’s first time at the plate in a big league game — albeit one at spring training — since injuring the shoulder. McLouth had been taking swings on the minor league side of camp, according to Williams. McLouth is also expected to start at designated hitter Thursday against the New York Mets.
“He’s still in his throwing program, so we don’t anticipate him in the field until next week,” Williams said. “Next week we’ll look to get him in games defensively.”
McLouth, 33, could be a vital part of the outfield depth for Washington. Without Span and Werth, and with Steven Souza traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in the offseason, McLouth could provide a stopgap while those two heal and bench depth when they return. He is able to play all three outfield positions.
“He’s got power,” Williams said. “Last year was a down year for him, but he had a lot of things going on in his shoulder. He feels good about his swing right now. Feels good about where he’s at with regard to swinging the bat. But we’ve got to get through that throwing program and make sure he’s ready to go defensively, too.”
• Todd Dybas can be reached at tdybas@washingtontimes.com.
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