How to Watch Diamondbacks at Reds Game 1: Rodriguez vs Lodolo

The Arizona Diamondbacks, desperate for some semblance of an offensive revival, will begin a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Friday night.

It will be left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez on the mound for Arizona, with fellow southpaw Nick Lodolo going for the Reds. Friday's game will not be available on the traditional D-backs broadcast. Here's how you can catch the action:

How to watch Diamondbacks-Reds game 1

May 26, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (57) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

This game will be broadcast on Apple TV, and will not be available on D-backs.TV or the MLB.TV out-of-market package. It will be a nationally-broadcast exclusive game, only available on Apple TV itself.

That means, of course, a subscription will be required in order to view the game. Fans can elect to subscribe to Apple TV, though there is an option for first-time subscribers to receive a seven-day free trial of Apple TV.

Alternative options will be limited to radio broadcasts.

Local D-backs fans can listen to the broadcast on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM radio, with a Spanish-speaking option available on La Campesina 101.9 FM and 860 AM. For the Reds, it will be broadcast on WLW 700 Cincinnati.

Diamondbacks and Reds face off at GABP

Arizona Diamondbacks base runner Gabriel Moreno (14) celebrates his hit against the Washington Nationals at Chase Field in Phoenix on May 7, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Diamondbacks are familiar with the Great American Ball Park environment — perhaps a little too familiar.

It was almost exactly one year ago in Cincinnati on June 6, 2025 (with the same Arizona starting pitcher on the mound, during an identical Apple TV broadcast, in fact) that an ill-fated game between these two teams progressed far too long into a significant rain storm.

The slippery conditions caused serious injuries to Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno and right-hander Cristian Mena — the latter of whom is still recovering, and will miss the rest of 2026.

Both teams, undeniably, will be hoping for less dangerous conditions Friday.

Eduardo Rodriguez vs Nick Lodolo

May 25, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo (40) pitches against the New York Mets during the fifth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Rodriguez has been the Diamondbacks' most consistently effective starter this season. This year, he has a 2.52 ERA, and his poor outings have been closer to average than abysmal. His most recent start was one of his poorer performances, and he still limited the damage to just four runs in 6.1 innings.

Rodriguez's peripheral metrics are not quite as sparkling, so there's always the threat of regression. But that's been true for some time, and the veteran southpaw continues to fill up the strike zone and deliver strong results.

He has a career 3.00 ERA against Cincinnati, with his last outing being that very rain game in 2025. Rodriguez was on pace for a dominant start, but ended up being limited to five innings, with two of his bequeathed runners scoring off Mena in the wet conditions.

Lodolo, meanwhile, has only seen the Diamondbacks once. Guess what? It was that same game from 2025. He gave up three runs in six innings. Lodolo has a rough 5.51 ERA in six starts this season.

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