Washington Nationals' Jayson Werth Update: Washington Post's Adam Kilgore On What Davey Johnson Calls An "Alarming Report" On Werth

As Jayson Werth explained it to reporters after his lone rehab start last week with High-A Potomac, things went well in the game he played with the High-A Advanced affiliate of the Washington Nationals.

"'I got some work in today,'" Werth was quoted stating in the team's official game report, "We talked about getting two to three at-bats. I got two just because of all of the activity. I feel pretty good. We'll try again tomorrow. And then we'll see.'"

Werth did not play in the game the next day. As the Nationals' now-34-year-old (Happy Birthday?) outfielder told the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore tonight, however, he actually felt something happen in his hamstring early in that game:

"'When I played in Potomac last week I felt my hammy grab on my first [at-bat] when I left the box on the groundout,' Werth said in an e-mail."

Werth went to see his personal doctor after the rehab start and said an MRI confirmed what he already knew. The Nationals' outfielder's hamstring is going to take longer to heal than originally expected. Reports out of AT&T Park tonight, where the Nats started a three-game set with the San Francisco Giants, said Davey Johnson told reporters he got an "alarming report" on his right fielder and two-hole hitter.

As Johnson explained it to reporters, including the WaPost's Mr. Kilgore, the doctors said Werth might be out for at least two more weeks as he takes a more cautious approach to his recovery. Werth hasn't played in a game since May 2nd, and his 15-Day DL stint was backdated to the 3rd so he would have been eligible to return to the field this past Saturday. When it was clear that he wouldn't make that date, the hope was that Werth could return for the Nationals' homestand next weekend, but the reports today say that's not going to happen either.

Werth missed significant time after suffering a broken left wrist on a play in the outfield early last season, then returned to lead the Nationals in their first run at the NL East division title. In 27 games and 107 plate appearances so far in 2013, Werth has a .260/.308/.400 line with two doubles and four home runs. Werth joins fellow hamstring injury victim Wilson Ramos on the DL. Ramos is on his second DL stint of the year after injuring the hamstring earlier this season and re-injuring it upon returning from action.