After finally proving to be the player many thought he could be, Jason Werth has again found himself on the disabled list, this time with a strained oblique. He injured himself during Thursday’s win over the Houston Astros and was out of the lineup on Friday.

After spending much of his career as a bench player with the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers, Werth has found a home with the Phillies. Injuries to Shane Victorino in the August and September of 2007 put Werth into the starting lineup, where he proved that he deserved to play more than just off the bench.

During a Spring Training game in 2005, Werth was hit by a pitch from A.J. Burnett that broke his left wrist. He was able to play in a career-high 102 games, but hit .234 with 7 home runs. Eight months later, Werth underwent exploratory surgery that revealed two ligament tears, which were repaired, despite the discomfort never subsiding. Werth would later injure his wrist again, and go on to miss the entire 2006 season.

Werth started the season mostly platooning with outfielder Geoff Jenkins, but he has again found himself in the starting lineup due to injuries to Shane Victorino. In a career night against the Toronto Blue Jays (a game I was at in fact), he hit three home runs: a grand slam, a three run home run, and a solo shot, just a two run homer shy of the “home run cycle.”

So far this season, Werth is batting .261 with nine home runs and 26 RBIs.