Los Angeles @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 21, 2013 ) LA Dodgers 9, Washington 2

The health of five-tool outfielder Yasiel Puig will be a major area of concern as the Los Angeles Dodgers open a three-game series at the Washington Nationals on Monday night. Puig had to be helped off the field Sunday afternoon in Miami after violently crashing into the wall while trying to catch the walk-off RBI double by Jeff Baker in the ninth inning of the 5-4 loss to the Marlins. Puig's loss would be big - he's hitting 12-for-27 with seven RBIs through six games of the road trip.

The Nationals haven’t scored in their last 11 innings after getting blanked 1-0 on Sunday afternoon against the Philadelphia Phillies. That’s not a good sign for Washington, which has scored a combined six runs in losing five straight to the Dodgers, who are expected to begin the series with back-to-back former Cy Young winners. Nate McLouth got a couple more chances to contribute against the Phillies, but the left-handed hitting outfielder went 0-for-7 in the last two games to drop his season average to .091.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, SportsNet Los Angeles, MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Zack Greinke (5-0, 2.04 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Jordan Zimmermann (2-1, 3.27)

Greinke continues to look like the Cy Young Award winner of five years ago, toting a string of 18 consecutive starts without allowing more than two runs into this appearance. He started 6-0 in 2009 before ultimately finishing 16-8 with a 2.16 ERA. He twice handcuffed Washington last season, combining to throw 11 1/3 innings and allowing two runs and 12 hits.

Zimmermann had the shortest outing of his career against the Dodgers last July at Nationals Park, giving up seven runs in the second inning before he was replaced at the start of the third in the 9-2 loss. Matt Kemp doubled and homered in that same inning. Zimmermann is coming off his best start of this season, however, shutting out the Houston Astros over 6 1/3 innings of a 7-0 win on Wednesday.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reigning NL Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers is set to start Tuesday after missing six weeks with a strained muscle in his upper back.

2. The Nationals have allowed 32 runs in the first inning of their 31 games this season.

3. Washington is hitting .219 with runners in scoring position after going 0-for-7 in Sunday’s loss.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 3, Nationals 1