Eduardo Rodríguez is set to start against the Dodgers again on Friday night, and this third meeting of the 2026 season brings another clear question: can he keep controlling the current MLB champions the way he has done already this year?
The D-backs left-hander has been very effective in the two previous matchups, and that matters because Rodríguez has also been putting together a strong overall season. He is building the kind of numbers that keep him in the National League Cy Young conversation, while a win on Friday would move him to eight victories for the year.
Rodríguez has already handled the Dodgers twice
The first two meetings came on 28 de marzo de 2026 and 1 de junio de 2026, and Rodríguez came away with no decision on both occasions. Even so, the wider picture was encouraging. Across those games, he covered 11 innings, allowed nine hits and two runs, and gave up only one earned run. He also issued three walks and struck out eight.
That is the sort of line that explains why the Dodgers matchup has not looked especially intimidating for him. The reigning champions have not broken through against him this season, and Rodríguez’s ability to keep them in check has become part of a longer pattern that began in 2025.
Why the Friday start matters
The backdrop also matters. On 30 de agosto de 2025, Rodríguez shut out the Dodgers in six innings and earned the win. That result gives this Friday’s start extra weight, because it shows the current run of success is not a one-off. It has been building across multiple meetings.
For Arizona, the decision to send him back out there is straightforward. Rodríguez has shown a very high level since the start of the season, and there is every reason to trust him with another important assignment. For him, the reward is just as clear: beat the Dodgers again, and eight wins come into view.
That is the kind of spot where a pitcher can strengthen both his team’s position and his own season case. Against a strong opponent, and against the same opponent for the third time in one year, Rodríguez has a chance to underline just how important he has become for the D-backs.
