Updating Span's status, Fister's throwing schedule and more

Denard Span, who was placed on the seven-day disabled list for concussions on Saturday, has returned to Washington ahead of the Nationals to be checked out by doctors and begin working his way back. Span had an appointment today and could potentially start a rehab assignment as early as Thursday. "If he passes his tests, which we expect him to do, he'll go out on a rehab assignment as early as tomorrow and get three at-bats and see how he feels after that," Nats manager Matt Williams said before today's game at Marlins Park. "If he feels good after that, we'll push him to four and make sure that he's good to go and get him back as soon as we can." Williams isn't yet sure which minor league team Span will be assigned to, but ideally one close by. Single-A Hagerstown is home tomorrow and Friday. "The weather's been rough. We want to get him in a game, so we want to make sure that we send him to the place that we can actually get him in a game," Williams said. "All indications are the weather's going to be fine. It's going to be a little bit cooler, but there's no snow in the forecast. So we'll determine that tonight depending on the forecast." Williams said that if Span is able to play Thursday and Friday, it's conceivable that the center fielder could be activated from the DL when he's eligible on Saturday. "If he gets through those two games, then he should be fine," Williams said. "We'd like him back as quickly as possible, for sure." Williams also provided an update on Doug Fister's pitching schedule as the right-hander works his way back from a strained right lat. Fister will throw two innings at extended spring training in Viera, Fla., on Thursday as the Nats begin to put him on a five-day rotation schedule. He'll follow Thursday's outing with an approximately three-inning session at extended spring training five days later. Williams said Fister will then be sent out for a four- or five-inning rehab start after that, and it's possible that he could return to the majors "if all goes well." Fister last threw a bullpen session on Monday in Miami. "So that's the tentative plan," Williams said. "It's not written in stone because we just don't know how he's going to feel. It may even turn bigger than that depending on how he goes. But that's the tentative plan right now. ... It gets him on his regular rotation." Williams said Fister could rejoin the team in between starts depending on how he feels. As for other ailing Nats, Williams said he isn't concerned about utility man Kevin Frandsen, who suffered a "little back spasm" Tuesday, but is fine today. Frandsen isn't starting, but is available off the bench. Williams added that reserve Scott Hairston is progressing toward rigorous activity as he works his way back from an oblique strain. Hairston has been on the DL since April 6. "Those things are tough, so you have to make sure that you're really careful because if you have an additional setback, then it takes you a long time," Williams said. "But he's home doing all of his stuff and he's progressing right on schedule." Hairston is not swinging a bat yet. A hot Nationals topic so far this season has been their defensive struggles. They entered Wednesday leading the majors with 15 errors in 14 games. But how does the team fix it? "I think, one, you don't make a big deal out of it. You look at it and say, 'It's kind of a silly stuff,' " Williams said. "It's not picking up a grounder in the outfield or one of them was the transfer rule. So if you make a big deal out of it, then it seems to compound itself. We take extra grounders every day, we take our grounders every day. We do extra work whenever we can. For the first 14 games of the season, I think we got extra work seven times. "So it's not that we're not paying attention to it. It's just that it's happened. So that being said, I don't want to make too much of it, but we want to stop it at the same time. So, 'Guys, relax, play the game and just be yourself,' I think is my message to them because it seems to me as if right now through these first few games, it's been a little pressing. "They've pressed a little bit about it. So I just want them to relax and play, and it'll take care of itself. But we're working every day. ... And we'll continue to do it. It's a part of our process. In that regard, I think it's a little bit of an aberration, so it'll get better."