Escobar to miss 7-10 days with Grade 1 oblique strain

VIERA, Fla. - Yunel Escobar will miss seven to 10 days with a Grade 1 left oblique strain according to Nationals manager Matt Williams.

"It's very light, but we still have to shut him down for a few days to make sure that it gets out of there," Williams said. "We would anticipate him being back and playing in spring training games and ready for opening day ,but he'll just be a little bit delayed on that."

"(Escobar) says that he doesn't feel it taking grounders or turning pivots. The swinging, he feels it a little bit, so we're just being cautious."

Williams isn't overly concerned despite that Escobar is basically using spring training to learn how to play second base, a position he hasn't played since his rookie season in 2007 when he appeared in 21 games there.

"Does it put him behind the eight ball a little bit? Sure. Because he doesn't get a chance to work with those guys as much as he ordinarily would," Williams said. "But if he's seven to 10 days down, he's still going to have a couple games in the spring to get prepared, so he'll be fine."

The Nationals traded reliever Tyler Clippard to Oakland in mid-January to acquire Escobar, hoping to upgrade their offensive production from the second base spot. Escobar has played primarily as a shortstop in his eight seasons in the majors.

He has been taking extra fielding practice most days after regular team workouts to help acclimate himself to his new position. Williams said Escobar won't have any activity while he sits out. Oblique strains can be recurring injuries.

Michael A. Taylor, the Nationals' top outfield prospect, is scheduled to be part of today's DH package after not seeing any action in the team's first two exhibition games. The 23-year-old experienced a minor neck issue earlier in the week and has been on a throwing program to ramp up activity, according to Williams.

"The plan is if he comes out of his throwing program tomorrow on the road, the anticipation is he'll take infield and see how that he feels and then he's in the lineup tomorrow as it stands right now, in the field," said Williams.

Note: The Nationals have added outfielder Derrick Robinson to major league camp. Robinson had been in minor league camp. The 27-year-old hit .255 in 102 games with the Reds in 2013, but spent all of last season recovering from left shoulder surgery. He's a career .254 hitter in eight minor league seasons.