Lodolo Starts for Reds in Diamondbacks Vs Reds Opener

Nick Lodolo gets the ball when diamondbacks vs reds opens Friday night at Great American Ball Park, with the Reds hosting Arizona to start a three-game series at 7:15 p.m. ET. Cincinnati enters at 32-35 and fifth in the NL Central, while the Diamondbacks arrive at 34-34 and third in the NL West.

Lodolo at Great American Ball Park

Lodolo is 2-1 with a 5.51 ERA, a line that puts more pressure on his first outing in this series than the schedule itself. The Reds need him to stabilize a rotation that has already lost Hunter Greene, Graham Ashcraft and Brandon Williamson to the 60-day injured list, leaving a thinner group to cover innings behind him.

Rodriguez Brings 2.52 ERA

Eduardo Rodriguez starts for Arizona with a 5-2 record and a 2.52 ERA, giving the Diamondbacks a sharp contrast on the mound in the opener. That edge comes while they also navigate their own injury list, which includes Lourdes Gurriel Jr., James McCann, A.J. Puk, Cristian Mena, Blake Walston, Corbin Burnes, Andrew Saalfrank, Carlos Santana and Justin Martinez.

Reds Injury List

Cincinnati is also missing Jose Trevino, Elly De La Cruz and Ke’Bryan Hayes on the 10-day injured list, with Emilio Pagan and Pierce Johnson on the 15-day injured list. Those absences strip away catching, lineup and bullpen depth before the first pitch, so Lodolo’s start lands in a game where both clubs are already working around roster gaps rather than full-strength depth.

For fans, the immediate target is simple: Friday at 7:15 p.m. ET at Great American Ball Park begins the series, and the matchup pairs two teams hovering around.500 with division positioning still tight. The opener also sets the tone for the rest of the three-game set, with Cincinnati trying to chip back from a 32-35 record and Arizona trying to hold onto its spot at 34-34.