Span has surgery on core muscle, will miss Nats' opener

VIERA, Fla. (AP) Washington center fielder Denard Span had surgery Monday to repair a right core muscle injury and will miss the Nationals' opener next month.

Manager Matt Williams said the projected time for Span's return is uncertain and added ''you're looking at four-to-six weeks before he can start doing baseball activity again.''

Span had surgery to repair a sports hernia injury in December and reported discomfort at the start of spring training, which he attributed to offseason training.

He went 1 for 2 in the Nationals' spring training opener on March 5.

''He thought it would work itself out,'' Williams said. ''Once he ramped it up in the first game and tested it coming out of the box, he felt it a lot more so we decided to get it looked at. Ultimately, with all the results, had to get it fixed, make sure he's good to go.''

Span had an operation in December to repair a sports hernia. He posted a message on his Twitter account Monday that said, ''Everything went well with the surgery.''

Williams said the injury is ''similar'' to the one Span had corrected in December and that should help him in rehabilitation.

''The good thing is he's got experience with it,'' Williams said. ''He knows what to expect in that regard, and what he can and cannot do.''

Washington outfielders Jayson Werth and Nate McLouth are rehabilitating from offseason shoulder surgery. Williams said Michael Taylor is likely to get the majority of time in center while Span is sidelined.