Howie Kendrick back in left field

Howie Kendrick is back in left field for the first time in nine days, starting for the Dodgers on Friday night against Zack Greinke and the Diamondbacks.

Kendrick last started in left field at home against the Diamondbacks on Sept. 7. This will be his team-leading 71st start in left field in 2016. He started four of the previous seven games, but all in the infield, with two starts at third base and once each at second base and first base.

After getting hits in each of his first four at-bats of September, Kendrick is just 4-for-28 (.143) since, though he does have seven walks during that span, giving him a .314 on-base percentage.

Kendrick’s last extra-base hit was a double against Johnny Cueto on Aug. 24, going 18 games and 64 plate appearances without since.

In seven games at Chase Field this season, Kendrick is 12-for-23 (.522) with two doubles and four walks (.593 OBP), scoring six runs while driving in one. He struck out as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning in Thursday night’s series opener.

Kenta Maeda starts for the Dodgers, his sixth start against the Diamondbacks in 2016. He hasn’t missed them in any of the matchups between the two teams. Maeda has a 3.18 ERA in those five starts, with 28 strikeouts and four walks in 28⅓ innings.

But while he has allowed three runs in his three home starts against Arizona, Maeda has struggled in his two starts in Phoenix, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 13 hits in 9⅓ innings.

The Dodgers are 3-2 in Maeda’s starts against the Diamondbacks, including 1-1 in Arizona.