Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Nationals outfielder Denard Span is making his return to the lineup, batting leadoff and playing center field against the San Diego Padres, per Mark Zuckerman of CSN Mid-Atlantic. Span had been on the disabled list with a back injury since July 10.

Rotoworld noted the outfielder went 7-for-17 during his rehab assignment at High-A Potomac, hitting a home run to go with three walks and three runs scored in six games.

Span's road to recovery has been a long one, with the outfielder suffering a setback on Aug. 8 just as it appeared he was set to return to the lineup, per Zuckerman. The setback might have been connected with a problem Span was dealing with earlier in the season, as Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reported.

The core muscle was on his right side, as Span underwent surgery to repair it in March, according to the Nationals. A quick recovery saw him miss just 13 games and make his way into the Nationals lineup for his season debut on April 19 against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Span is batting .304 with five home runs, 22 RBI and 11 stolen bases while adding solid defense in the outfield.

Since Span's absence, the Nationals have seen their lead in the NL East evaporate, with the New York Mets surging to the front of the division, holding a 5.5 game lead upon his return.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.