Jayson Werth leading the way down the stretch

As they have for many Nationals, injuries interfered with Jayson Werth's year. The 36-year-old never fully recovered from offseason AC joint surgery in his right shoulder when he began the season a week late. He scuffled through the first month with his batting average mostly below .200 until a fastball darted inside and fractured his left wrist on May 15 in San Diego.

Werth's broken wrist robbed the 13-year veteran of 61 games in the middle of the season. When he finally returned to the Nats on July 28, Werth's bat didn't come with him as he batted just .145 with 16 strikeouts in his first 19 games.

But with Denard Span out of the lineup and the Nats offense struggling to score runs on a dismal west coast road trip, manager Matt Williams made the call to move Werth into the leadoff spot.

In the 16 games since he has been atop the order, Werth is batting .333 (22-for-66) with three homers, one triple, seven doubles, seven walks, eight RBIs and 15 runs scored.

"I don't know if it's the leadoff spot," Werth said after last night's 8-2 win over the Braves. "I think it's one of those things where it was just a matter of time. It just happens to be that skipper put me up there at the right time. I think it was more of a timing thing. But there's something about moving guys around in the order to get them going. I think he made the right call."

It's no coincidence that since Aug. 18, when Williams first penciled in Werth first in the lineup, the Nationals offense has turned the corner, ranking at the top or near the top in the majors for runs scored, on-base percentage, home runs and slugging percentage.

"I think it just starts from the top," Bryce Harper said. "Being able to have Jayson in that leadoff spot, seeing a lot of pitches, doing the things that he's doing. Last month and a half or what not, (Ryan Zimmerman's) doing the things that he's been doing. (Ian Desmond is) swinging it well. He's been swinging it well since the break. Clint (Robinson), when he's playing, he's been swinging it well, also. Our whole lineup, up and down, we're doing well right now and it's great to see. If we get on base and we do what we do, we're going to win the ballgames that we need to and just worry about what we're doing right now."

Williams likes the boost that Werth has given his lineup.

"Timing looks better," Williams said. "Rhythm's there. He's not afraid certainly to take pitches from the leadoff spot. He's not afraid to take pitches in the 3- or the 5-spot, either. But it gives our guys that come up behind him a look at the pitcher.

"Generally, he'll take at-bats and work the count and give the other guys that are coming up opportunity for them to see all the pitcher's pitches for that particular night, albeit from the side. But you get an idea of what's working for the guy on the mound for the other team. He's just comfortable. He's taking his hits to right. Getting on base. Doing a lot of things for us."

With just 27 games remaining, the Nationals trail the Mets by five games. Aside from six games against New York, all of the Nats other opponents have sub .500 records meaning they must continue to take advantage of opportunities like they have this weekend against the Braves.

"It really doesn't matter who we play right now," Werth said. "We're going to have to beat everybody. Regardless if it's a team that hasn't had a good year or a team that's in first place, or whatever. If we want to get to where we want to get, we're going to have to beat everybody."