Escobar (finger) is starting at shortstop and batting eighth Friday against the Astros.
Escobar was sidelined the past three games while dealing with an infection under the nail of his left index finger, but he's been cleared to retake the field Friday. The veteran infielder has hits in six of his past seven contests, going 11-for-25 with a triple, a double, three RBI and three runs during that stretch.