First pitch: 6:40 p.m. ET (3:40 p.m. PT)
Venue: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
Probable starters: LHP Tarik Skubal (Dodgers, 9-7, 2.84 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 164 SO in 139.2 IP) vs. LHP Nick Lodolo (Reds, 3-4, 5.12 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 75 SO in 89.2 IP)
TV: SportsNet LA / Reds.TV (and regional options)
This is Game 1 of a four-game series (continuing through Sep 17). The Dodgers sit first in the NL West (9 games up on the Padres) and are in strong contention for the top NL seed. The Reds are fifth in the NL Central, well out of contention.
Weather Forecast
Sunny and clear conditions expected. High around 74–78°F during the day, settling to the low-to-mid 70s by first pitch, with lows in the upper 50s overnight. Northeast winds 5–7 mph (or light/variable), humidity around 40–50%, 0% chance of precipitation. Ideal baseball weather with no roof or delay concerns.
Injury Reports
Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani (DH): 15-day IL (right biceps inflammation; expected mid-to-late September return as hitter).
Freddie Freeman (1B): Day-to-day (right knee/patellar tendinitis); out of the lineup for this game to rest.
Miguel Rojas (INF): Day-to-day (right shoulder; received treatment/injection after aggravating it Sep 13; probable or available).
Edwin Díaz (RP): 15-day IL (neck).
Roki Sasaki (SP): 15-day IL (finger blister; possible return later in series).
Other notable IL: Kris Bubic (60-day, shoulder/elbow), Dalton Rushing (10-day, elbow), Andy Pages (10-day, hand), Gavin Stone, Brusdar Graterol, Eric Lauer, Jake Cousins, Will Klein, Ben Casparius (various 60-day issues).
Reds
Spencer Steer (1B/OF): 10-day IL (wrist).
Hunter Greene (SP): 60-day IL (elbow; second Tommy John, out long-term).
Mike Toglia (1B): 60-day IL (shoulder).
Blake Dunn (OF): 60-day IL (elbow).
Matt McLain (2B): Day-to-day (undisclosed/shoulder discomfort; status for this game uncertain after recent scratches).
Key absences thin both lineups: Dodgers missing two superstars (Ohtani and Freeman for this game), Reds missing core contributors in the middle of the order/defense.
Current Rosters / Projected Lineups
Dodgers (typical recent order without Ohtani/Freeman):
Possible mix of Tommy Edman, Mookie Betts, Will Smith, Teoscar Hernández, Max Muncy, Kyle Tucker, Alex Call/Enrique Hernández, Miguel Rojas/Alex Freeland, and a fill-in at 1B/DH. Strong contact and power potential remains despite missing stars.
Reds:
Likely features Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart, Eugenio Suárez (hot with recent homers), Tyler Stephenson, JJ Bleday/Dane Myers, and others; McLain’s availability is a question mark. Power-oriented but inconsistent overall.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Skubal vs. Reds hitters: Skubal (lefty, elite command and strikeout stuff) dominated in his last start vs. Cincinnati on Sep 8 (7.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 5 SO in a 3-2 win). He has been excellent overall with the Dodgers (2.93 ERA in 7 starts post-trade). Expect him to neutralize lefty-heavy or contact-oriented Reds bats; De La Cruz and Suárez are the primary threats (power/speed).
Lodolo vs. Dodgers hitters: Lodolo (lefty) struggled in the Sep 8 rematch (4.2 IP, 3 ER). He has elevated home-run and walk rates this year. Favorable for right-handed Dodgers bats like Betts, Smith, Hernández, and Muncy. Lodolo’s 5.12 ERA and 1.53 WHIP make him vulnerable to the Dodgers’ disciplined approach.
Recent Team Forms
Dodgers: 8-2 in last 10; swept the Reds 3-0 in Los Angeles earlier this month (6-3, 3-2, 14-1). Dropped 2 of 3 at Miami over the weekend but still own the best record in the NL West. Strong pitching (3.68 team ERA) and balanced offense (.256 AVG, 184 HR). Away record 43-31.
Reds: 1-4 in last 5 (or 4-6 last 10); swept by Dodgers then lost 2 of 3 at Milwaukee (including a 20-0 blowout). Offense has power (199 HR, second in NL) but ranks near the bottom in AVG (.230) and ERA (4.88). Home record 36-38. Recent bullpen struggles noted.
Series History
Dodgers swept the three-game set at Dodger Stadium Sep 7–9 (scores 6-3, 3-2, 14-1). Broader recent trend heavily favors Los Angeles (Dodgers have dominated interleague/NL Central matchups lately; all-time franchise series leans Dodgers). This is the start of a four-game set in Cincinnati after the earlier sweep.
Betting Trends
Under has hit in several recent Skubal starts and Lodolo home starts; Dodgers strong as favorites and vs. NL Central; Reds have covered some +1.5 lately but struggled overall against quality pitching. Great American Ball Park is a hitters’ park, but elite lefty Skubal and cooler evening temps support a lower-scoring lean.
GAME ODDS
Los Angeles Dodgers – 210
Cincinnati Reds 7.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, September 13, 2026
