When your starting pitcher has a rough outing and the offense can't provide any support, winning becomes a difficult task. That's exactly what happened to the Reds on Friday night, as they mustered just four hits in a 9-0 shutout loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who completely outclassed Cincinnati to kick off the 2026 MLB Players' Weekend.

With the loss, the Reds dropped to 61-68 on the season and continued to drift further from playoff contention in what has been a very disappointing year. Here are some key takeaways from yet another Reds defeat:

Lodolo Can't Escape the Snakes

Similar to what happened to Brady Singer in the Reds' previous game against the Cardinals, Nick Lodolo had a disappointing outing against the Diamondbacks on Friday night.

After Arizona jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Jordan Lawlar, who has played in just 15 games this season, cranked a two-run shot into left field in the second to extend the Diamondbacks' lead to 3-0. A sacrifice fly from Ildemaro Vargas tacked on another run, putting Cincinnati in an early 4-0 hole for the second consecutive game.

Although the Reds climbed out of the deficit against St. Louis, they couldn't muster another comeback against the Diamondbacks, who continued to add to their lead.

Lodolo would ultimately be charged with six earned runs on 10 hits before being chased from the game after just 3 1/3 innings. Even more concerning was his command, as he threw 91 pitches but only 50 for strikes.

His inability to consistently get ahead in the count, along with Arizona's success stealing bases, allowed the Diamondbacks to put constant pressure on Lodolo, leading to his early exit.

Bats Go Cold Again

The last time Eduardo Rodriguez faced the Reds, he walked five batters in fewer than three innings and was chased from the game. Tonight, however, was a much different story.

Rodriguez settled in early, not allowing a hit until the fourth inning when Sal Stewart managed to leg out an infield single. Once the Reds finally put some pressure on him by getting two runners on base in the frame, Rodriguez got Matt McLain to ground into a fielder's choice before striking out JJ Bleday to end the threat. Rodriguez finished his outing allowing just four hits while striking out four over 5 2/3 innings.

Unfortunately for the Reds, Arizona's bullpen picked up right where Rodriguez left off, holding Cincinnati hitless for the remainder of the game. The Reds simply couldn't find any answers, as the Diamondbacks' pitching staff seemed to be on cruise control all night.

Up Next

The Reds continue their series with the Diamondbacks Saturday night, with Rhett Lowder (4-8, 5.17 ERA) slated to go up against Michael Soroka (8-3, 2.93 ERA).

First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. E.T. and will be aired on Reds.TV and 700 WLW.

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