Is Jayson Werth finally on track?
It was just one game, but the Nationals right fielder’s 3-for-5 performance Wednesday against the Houston Astros was better than nothing. Werth smoked two doubles and a home run in a 3-2 extra-inning loss.
The Nats aren’t a legitimate playoff contender at this point given their roster limitations — but a winning season is still in play. That’s not happening unless Werth gets hot. From June 25 to July 19, Washington’s premier free agent signing last winter produced one extra-base hit. He was 10-for-75 (.133 batting average) and had struck out 27 times to 11 walks.
And it’s not like he was tearing up the league before that slump. Werth was hitting .234 when he fell into that sinkhole. But he has made adjustments and has begun attacking pitches early in the count instead of taking two quick strikes. Werth has seven hits on the current road trip and also has drawn five walks.
It’s a start.
