Nationals injury updates: Ryan Zimmerman making rehab appearance at Double-A Harrisburg

Matt Williams provided detailed updates on a number of injured Nationals before the series opener with Los Angeles on Friday afternoon when he met with reporters in Washington, D.C.

Both Ryan Zimmerman (plantar fasciitis) and Anthony Rendon (left quad) worked out in Nats Park before the start of the three-game set with the Dodgers.

"Full workouts today," Williams said. "They had that as well yesterday. Ran the bases yesterday in a controlled environment, but nonetheless they were both on the bases. That's a good sign.

"So we'll just keep progressing them. They're both taking batting practice, they're both taking ground balls.

"They've done everything except get on the basepaths and go full on the basepaths," Williams explained.

"Yesterday they did first-to-thirds, second-to-home, doubles, turns and stop and come back, albeit controlled, it was a good step for them."

Though he wasn't ready to commit to a start date for rehab assignments for either of the two, Williams said they were both progressing toward a return to live action.

"It's part of the process," Williams said. "But the fact that they can do it and they're out there doing it is a positive sign, so without putting a timetable on it, we're just going to continue to progress them and keep ramping them up to the point where they don't have any issues with it and they can go play and react like they normally would."

Williams said Zimmerman's foot was better -- though he was "a little ginger with it" -- and not pushing it too hard, but the pain was "not as great" which the Nats' skipper saw as a positive sign.

Rendon began a rehab assignment on Saturday, joining rehabbing outfielder Jayson Werth (who hopes to be back in a week or two according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson) in the Potomac Nationals' lineup and going 2 for 2 before he was done for the day.

Werth went 1 for 2 with a walk and two RBIs.

This afternoon, the Nationals announced that Zimmerman will play his first rehab game today with the Double-A Harrisburg Senators.

#Nats 1B Ryan Zimmerman will join Double-A Harrisburg today to begin a rehab assignment.

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 19, 2015

In another update, Denard Span reportedly had a cortisone shot in his back as he works his way back from the DL:

Span had a cortisone shot in his back. Has only played catch and done light jogging so far. Could ramp up rehab in coming days.

— Chase Hughes (@chasehughesCSN) July 19, 2015