Washington Nationals: Jayson Werth's Return Is Better Than a Trade-Deadline Deal

After sitting out for nearly three months, Washington Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth finally returned to the lineup Thursday night against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Call it good timing, call it luck, call it what you will, but the Nats managed to pull off a 3-0 victory against one of their most hated rivals.

Werth returned from a nasty broken wrist he suffered months ago and produced with a groundout RBI—the third and final run for the Nationals.

Ross Detwiler and Adam LaRoche carried the first-place Nationals.

Detwiler threw seven scoreless innings and outdueled Cole Hamels, who recently signed one of the richest contracts for a pitcher in MLB history (six years, $144 million).

LaRoche ended the night with three hits, a run and two RBI.  

Taking over at center field, Werth provides the Nats with another big bat in the middle of the lineup. A career .265 hitter, Werth has averaged 26.75 home runs the past four years.

Getting back into the swing of things might take a while for the former Philly, but a well-rested Werth is exactly what the Nationals needed heading down the home stretch of the season.

In the coming weeks and months, Werth will show exactly why the Nationals were not willing to make any big deals.