MLB PLAYER NEWS

Nats CF Span has surgery, expects to miss opener

The Sports Xchange

March 09, 2015 at 12:30 pm.

Denard Span is expected to miss some time. (Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports)

VIERA, Fla. — Washington Nationals center fielder Denard Span had right core muscle surgery and could miss four to six weeks of baseball activities, manager Matt Williams said Monday.

“It’s a core abdominal type injury,” Williams said before a spring training game against the visiting Atlanta Braves. “The time frame is up in the air (but) you look at four to six weeks before he can start doing baseball activities again.”

Span hit .302 in 147 games last season and set a franchise record with 184 hits while swiping a career-high 31 bases. A left-handed hitter, Span also had hernia surgery in December. He played on Thursday in the first spring training game against the New York Mets and was hitless in two at bats.

Williams said Span was in Philadelphia for the surgery Monday and would return to Viera later this week to begin his rehab process. Span told MLB.com on Monday that he does not expect to be ready for Opening Day, at home April 6 against the Mets.

Williams said Michael A. Taylor, 23, who made his major league debut in August, will see most of the time in center field during spring training. Taylor hit a homer on the first pitch of the game on Sunday in a 3-2 loss in Tampa against the Yankees.

Williams said Tony Gwynn, Jr., a non-roster invitee who hit .152 in 80 games last season for the Philadelphia Phillies, could also see time in center.

“He is a fantastic center fielder,” Williams said of Span. But “we have guys who can play the position as well.”