1. Sioux City Explorers (45-24, 1st, West)
Record last week: 3-1 @ Gary SouthShore
The all-star break didn’t slow down the momentum for Sioux City who took the trip to Gary, Indiana and if not for a tough 8-6 loss in the second game, would have swept the four-game set against the RailCats. How do you bounce back from a loss like that? By allowing just one run in each of the final two games of the series, including an outstanding eight inning start from Kyle Marman.
2. Sioux Falls Canaries (41-27, 2nd, 3.5 GB in West)
Record last week: 3-0 @ Lincoln
We repeat, do not sleep on the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. 8-2 in their last 10, they’re playing some of the best baseball in the league including taking five of seven from Kansas City last week before the break. They have established themselves amongst the top contenders along with Sioux City, Sioux Falls and Kansas City in the West and it’s primarily been thanks to the pitching staff, with their team ERA of 3.63 suddenly challenging Sioux City’s league best mark at 3.56.
3. Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks (38-32, 4th, 7.5 GB in West)
Record last week: 3-0 vs. Winnipeg, 1-2 @ Sioux City
Despite the tough series loss in Sioux City, the Canaries have to go into the break feeling encouraged about their ability to contend with the two top dogs in the West in Sioux City and Kansas City. What they can definitely do is contend with them offensively, leading the league with a .829 team OPS thanks to having five players with 11 home runs or more. If they can improve on the pitching side of things in the second half, they can easily be in the conversation with the top teams in either division.
4. Lake Country DockHounds (38-28, 1st, East)
Record last week: 0-4 vs. Sioux Falls
From a big high to a big low. Lake Country was arguably the hottest team in the league going into the break, now suddenly beginning the half on the wrong end of a sweep. Notably, the series against Sioux Falls was their last against any West division squad, so it may serve as a wakeup call to the DockHounds that from here on out, they need to take care of business if they want to win the division for the first time in club history. They’re going to need more offense to do so, falling to 7th in the league with a .259 team batting average after the weekend.
5. Chicago Dogs (38-30, 2nd, 1 GB in East)
Record last week: 2-1 @ Winnipeg
Even with Sunday’s finale being cancelled, Chicago was able to leave Winnipeg with two key wins to pull just a game back of the DockHounds in the East. Despite being swept by the DockHounds at home before the break, there’s no reason for the Dogs to hang their heads with nine more matchups between the teams remaining. Chicago is one of just two teams along with Sioux Falls currently in the top half in the league in both team batting average (.272, 3rd) and team ERA (4.49, 6th).
