San Diego @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 23, 2013 ) LA Dodgers 3, San Diego 1

Rookie phenom Yasiel Puig is expected to be in the lineup Friday, when Los Angeles begins a three-game series against the visiting San Diego Padres, who are 7-6 versus the Dodgers this season. Puig was pulled from Wednesday’s 4-0 win over the Chicago Cubs after four innings by manager Don Mattingly, who questioned the 22-year-old outfielder’s effort. Puig reportedly agreed with the decision after the victory, which pushed the team’s lead over Arizona in the National League West to 9 1/2 games.

Puig's behavior figures to be a hot topic this weekend, but San Diego outfielder Will Venable also deserves a share of the spotlight. The 30-year-old Venable, one of the few bright spots for the fourth-place Padres, is batting .390 with eight home runs in August and carries an eight-game hitting streak into Friday’s contest. Venable is one of the few power sources remaining in the Padres’ lineup, with Carlos Quentin set to have season-ending surgery on his right knee next week.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN (San Diego), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Eric Stults (8-11, 3.72 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Hyun-Jin Ryu (12-5, 3.08)

Stults has posted an impressive 2.63 ERA in 13 home starts, but he’s 3-8 with a 4.93 ERA in 14 road outings. The 33-year-old is 0-4 in his last seven overall turns despite producing five quality starts in that span. Carl Crawford is 5-for-7 with a home run against Stults, who is 6-6 with a 3.83 ERA in 18 career games (13 starts) against the Dodgers.

Ryu has lost two straight decisions following a five-game winning streak. The 26-year-old failed to reach the sixth inning for just the third time in 25 starts on Saturday, when he yielded four runs over five frames against Boston. Ryu, who is making his first career start against San Diego, is 3-2 with a 3.88 ERA in eight outings versus NL West rivals.

WALK-OFFS

1. Padres 3B Chase Headley is listed as day-to-day after missing Wednesday’s game with stiffness in his back.

2. RHP Edinson Volquez, who was released by the Padres on Tuesday, has agreed to a deal with the Dodgers.

3. CF Matt Kemp (ankle) began his minor-league rehab assignment with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday and hopes to return to the Dodgers’ lineup on Monday in Colorado.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 6, Padres 2