Nationals' Span to undergo hip surgery, miss rest of season
Denard Span's return to the field was short-lived.
The Washington Nationals outfielder, who was placed on the disabled list Friday, will undergo season-ending surgery on his left hip Tuesday, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
Manager Matt Williams told reporters Span had suffered a setback with his hip following Thursday's win over the San Diego Padres. The 31-year-old was just one week removed from returning to the lineup, after missing almost two months of action due to back tightness.
"We have to make sure we are mindful of him, his back and his hips," Williams said. "So it's unclear right now. I would imagine it's going to be very tough for him to get back."
It's a tough blow for the Nationals as they try to chase down the New York Mets for the NL East pennant. Span, when healthy, has been productive in 2015, batting .301/.365/.431 with five homers and 11 stolen bases in just 61 games.
His replacement for much of this season, Michael Taylor, injured his knee in Thursday's game against the Padres crashing into the center-field wall. It is unknown how long the rookie will be out of the lineup.
The Nationals announced that outfielder Matt den Dekker has been recalled from Triple-A Syracuse.