The last time many Phillies fans saw Jayson Werth up-close and personal, he was saying his goodbyes.
Werth showed up to clean out his locker dressed in black following last year’s loss to San Francisco in the NLCS. In his final press conference, the outfielder crowed about how the Phillies had enough money to sign him to an extension if they really wanted. But the team didn’t make a deal happen, opting instead to sign free agent hurler Cliff Lee.
Six months later, Werth is preparing to face his former teammates for the first time as a member of the Washington Nationals. No doubt he’ll have a few smiles with the guys he won a world championship with in 2008.
“I’m excited to see those guys. We have some pretty long-lasting bonds,” Werth (batting .200 with one homer, one RBI for Washington) told MLB.com. “That’s one thing you can never take away from us, what we did there. It was pretty special.”
But once the game starts, it will be “all business,” according to Werth. And vice versa, from the Phillies’ side of the things.
“J-Dub’s standing in the way,” Phils skipper Charlie Manuel said. “We’ve got to get him out.”
