WASHINGTON - Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth was scheduled to have surgery on his right shoulder on Friday, according to a person familiar with the plans.

The person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because no announcement about the operation had been made, said Werth is expected to be ready by the start of the regular season in April.

The 35-year-old Werth was troubled by his right shoulder in early August, when he sat out a week for the NL East champions.

He wound up hitting .292 with 16 homers and 82 RBIs in the 2014 regular season. In Washington's four-game loss to the eventual World Series champion San Francisco Giants in an NL Division Series, Werth went 1 for 17.

Werth has been in the news plenty during this off-season.

He was convicted in a Virginia court in December of reckless driving and sentenced to 10 days in jail for driving his Porsche at over 100 mph on the Capital Beltway.

The Nationals also have said they plan to have Werth switch positions next season, moving from right field to left in a swap with Bryce Harper.

Werth has three seasons left on a $126 million, seven-year contract with the Nationals that he signed as a free agent when he left the Philadelphia Phillies.