Yunel Escobar's hot bat has been one of Nats' few constants this season

Yunel Escobar enters today's matinee against the Marlins with the fourth-best batting average in the National League. If he finishes the year with his current .317 mark, it would end up being second only to his rookie year when he hit .326 in 94 games.

But Escobar isn't a career .300 hitter. In his previous eight seasons before joining the Nationals, Escobar was a .276 hitter. Certainly respectable, but not the Top 10-type numbers that the 32-year-old has posted this season.

"His stroke is conducive to high average," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "He's got a good knowledge of the strike zone. He stays middle of the diamond the other way. He's got some power, too, but his stroke is up the middle and the other way, which allows him to put the ball in play and get base hits. So that's why you see that average that hovers around .300 because it's his natural stroke."

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo wanted a more offensive-capable second baseman when he traded right-hander Tyler Clippard for Escobar in January. Escobar, who hadn't played second base since his rookie year, never suited up there for the Nationals.

With Anthony Rendon spraining his left MCL in spring training, Williams scrapped the plan and moved Escobar, a career shortstop, to third base. When Rendon finally returned from the disabled list, he started at second and Escobar remained at third.

"If you look at it from a pure planning perspective, we certainly didn't think that we'd have to rely on him as he heavily as we have," Williams said. "Circumstances dictate that sometimes."

Escobar's versatility has allowed Williams to plug him in throughout the batting order while the Nats have dealt with countless injuries this season. Escobar has launched both leadoff and walk-off homers this year. He's slashing .317/.374/.421 with nine home runs, 22 doubles, 47 RBIs and 69 runs scored.

"He's been valuable hitting all over the lineup," Williams said. "He's hit leadoff. He's hit four, five and all the way into the six-hole. So he's got the ability to hit regardless of where he's put in that particular lineup."

Before today's game, Williams said that Rendon is the Nationals' long-term third baseman.

"Third base is Anthony's natural position, and he's most comfortable there," Williams said.

With Ian Desmond's contract expiring at the end of the season, Escobar could shift to shortstop with a combination of Danny Espinosa and rookie Trea Turner sharing time at second base in 2016. Or, the Nationals could attempt the original plan of having Escobar play second with the more defensive-minded Espinosa featured at shortstop.

Or Rizzo could be active in the offseason again.