X-rays on Jayson Werth's left wrist negative

SAN DIEGO - Just as Nationals left fielder Jayson Werth seemed to be turning the corner after a rough start, another setback occurred in Friday's 10-0 victory over San Diego.

Padres starter Odrisamer Despaigne ran a 92 mph sinker in on Werth that violently struck his left wrist in the second inning. Werth crashed to the ground, clutching his wrist in obvious pain.

Nationals manager Matt Williams and head athletic trainer Lee Kuntz quickly came out of the dugout to tend to Werth, who decided to take his base and stay in the game.

Moments later, after the inning ended, Williams met Werth as he was coming off the field and the decision was made for Werth to leave the game.

"X-rays were negative, so we'll see how he is, how he responds tomorrow," Williams said after the game. "He took a pretty good one on the wrist."

Werth has broken his left wrist twice before. Playing for the Dodgers in 2005, Werth was similarly stuck by a pitch from A.J. Burnett during spring training. With the Nats in 2012, Werth snapped the wrist while attempting a diving catch.

"He's had multiple surgeries, he's got metal in there, so we want to make sure," Williams said.

Werth, whose wrist was wrapped after the game, was unavailable for comment.

Since showing up to spring training, Werth has been fighting to return from offseason surgery on his right shoulder. The process has been slower than expected. He opened the year on the disabled list before joining the Nationals to start the season's third series at Fenway Park in Boston. But his normal reliable bat didn't follow.

Werth spent the better part of his first 20 games searching for his stroke at the plate while his batting average remained submerged under the .200 mark. But Werth found some life in his swing on this trip out west. A first-inning single tonight gave him a 5-for-15 (.333) run in his last four game, which also includes his second homer of the season, a deep three-run shot in Wednesday's win at Arizona.

His average continues to creep back, and it now it stands at .208 (21-for-101).

Tyler Moore, Clint Robinson and rookie Michael A. Taylor have all seen time in left field this season, and would be considered as potential replacements if Werth misses any time.