Escobar will bat leadoff Tuesday against the Red Sox, James Wagner of the Washington Post reports. Manager Matt Williams will attempt to spark his stagnant offense by shaking up his batting order. Michael Taylor will move down to the No. 9 spot, with Escobar slotting in atop the order, Jayson Werth in the two-hole and Ryan Zimmerman cleanup. Escobar is 8-for-27 (.296 average) with three walks and zero strikeouts so far this season, but he's just 3-for-14 against Boston starter Justin Masterson for his career.

Escobar went 2-for-5 Saturday. He's hit about as well as expected, slashing .263/.333/.316 through the Nationals' first five games while settling into the second spot in the batting order, and in fantasy leagues with a five game threshold Escobar just added third base eligibility to his resume. He'll eventually slide over to second base and get bumped down the batting order when Anthony Rendon (knee) comes off the DL, but as yet there's no timetable for Rendon's return.

Escobar will hit second and play third base in the Nationals' final exhibition game on Saturday against the Yankees, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports. Other than the Nats needing a DH, Saturday's lineup looks to be the one the club will use to kick off the regular season. Escobar's owners are apparently going to get rewarded with some extra position eligibility, as he fills in at third while Anthony Rendon (knee) is on the shelf.

Escobar, who was already adjusting to a move to second base, will also see time at third base during the remainder of spring training, the Washington Post reports. With Anthony Rendon still having no timetable for his return from a knee injury, the Nationals want to keep their options open for a replacement. A lineup with Escobar at third and Danny Espinosa at second base would probably offer the club their best possible infield defense, but non-roster invitee Ian Stewart is also having a good spring and could also factor into the mix at the hot corner.

Escobar (oblique) saw his first game action of the spring on Monday, playing three innings against the Yankees. He looked good, beating out an infield hit and making a diving stop on a ground ball to his left when the Nats had the infield drawn in, so it seems safe to say that Escobar's fully recovered from his oblique injury. While he was originally slated to hit eighth for the team, if Anthony Rendon (knee) starts the season on the DL, expect Escobar to move up and hit second until Rendon is healthy.

Escobar (oblique) will make his Grapefruit League debut Monday and is on pace to be ready for Opening Day, CSN Mid-Atlantic's Mark Zuckerman reports. He took batting practice over the weekend and barring a setback, it sounds like he will be ready to be the Nationals' second baseman to start the season. While it's a nice lineup to be a part of, Escobar figures to hit in the eight hole for most of the season.

Escobar (oblique) took batting practice on Saturday, and is expected to make his spring debut on Monday, the Washington Post reports. Assuming he doesn't have any setbacks, it looks like Escobar will be ready for Opening Day, and a starting assignment as the Nats' second baseman.

Escobar (oblique) is scheduled to take ground balls and hit in the batting cage Wednesday, and could play in a minor league game at some point this week, William Ladson of MLB.com reports. Escobar was diagnosed with a Grade 1 oblique strain earlier in spring training, but is beginning his rehab towards a return to spring training. If all goes according to plan, he should be ready for the beginning of the regular season.

Escobar (oblique) is expected to resume light baseball-related activities Sunday or Monday, the Washington Post reports. There's no timetable yet for his return to game action, but if Escobar is able to get on the field by next weekend or so, he should be able to avoid a DL stint to begin the regular season.

Escobar is dealing with a Grade 1 left oblique strain and will be shut down for the next 7-to-10 days, MASN Sports' Dan Kolko reports. A Grade 1 strain indicates a minor stretching or tearing of the oblique rather than a partially or completely torn muscle, so it appears Escobar has avoided a significant injury. With a few days to rest, the expectation is that Escobar will be able to return to the lineup for the latter half of the Nationals' exhibition schedule. The 32-year-old, who is slated to start at second base for the Nationals this season, should be back at full health before Opening Day.