Span cautiously optimistic he will play in series finale

The Nationals decided right before Game 2 of their doubleheader with the Blue Jays on Tuesday that center fielder Denard Span would not play to give his sore right knee another full day to rest.

An MRI revealed no significant damage, but there was still swelling and soreness. Manager Matt Williams made the call to keep his starting center fielder out of the lineup.

"Just sore. Not gonna push him in that regard," Williams said following a 7-3 loss to Toronto in the nightcap. "So we'll see how he is tomorrow. Couple of days off are hopefully good for him. He's got some anti-inflammatory medication to take that swelling out of there so hopefully he feels a lot better tomorrow."

Span said his knee is "feeling all right" as he stood in front of his locker after the game.

He remembered the play at Wrigley Field when he got hurt.

"It was on a play I went back on a ball and I kind of lost my footing and slipped and that's when it originated," Span said. "And then when we moved onto Cincinnati there was a couple of plays that kind of just reaggravated it."

Span said it was an easy decision not to play Game 2 because of how he felt early Tuesday afternoon.

"It just didn't feel good. It felt better then yesterday, which is encouraging," Span said. "But I just felt it was probably smart just to give it another day. So I will come back out here tomorrow, pretty confident that I will hopefully play in the game.

"That didn't sound too confident though, 'pretty confident that I hopefully will play in the game,' " Span joked. "I'm just going to come here tomorrow and go through my normal routine and see where I'm at. But in my mind, I want to play tomorrow."

Span said when he hurt the knee again in Cincinnati, it was worse than what he felt in Chicago, when he originally banged it.

"I'm trying not to worry," Span said. 'I'm a big worrier. I have had a couple of injuries already this offseason and spring training. I'm trying not to worry myself. I'm just trying (to do) what the training staff and the doctors have told me and they said I should be OK. The only thing for me to do is to go out there and test it out. Once I do that, then that will be the true story."

So what has Span been doing to treat the knee this week?

"Rest, ice, ultrasound, putting some anti-inflammatory-type gel. They got me on anti-inflammatory pills, as well," Span said.

"It's getting better. It's still a little puffy in one area, but it's OK."

Span said he hopefully will know after batting practice on Wednesday.

"Like I said, mentally, I'm hoping tomorrow is the day to get out there and at least try (to) test it out in a game, for sure," Span said.

Span has hit .323 in his last 15 games with 20 hits, two homers, two stolen bases and six RBIs. His .314 batting average this season is 27 points ahead of his career mean.