The Dayton Dragons return home to face a Midwest League West Division squad fighting for a second half playoff berth.
The Dragons, the Midwest League East Division champions, will host a six-game series against the Quad Cities River Bandits beginning at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, at Day Air Ballpark. It’s the second-to-last homestand for the Dragons before the playoffs start next month.
Dayton is 20-28 in the second half and are eight games back of the West Michigan Whitecaps in the second half standings. The Dragons are 4-6 in their last 10 games. Quad Cities is 28-18 in the second half and enter the series tied for first place in the West Division standings with the Beloit Sky Carp (29-19). The River Bandits have won five straight and eight of their last 10 games.
Here’s everything you need to know heading into this week’s series with the River Bandits:
Last week
The Dragons went 2-4 against Lake County, which included a doubleheader last Wednesday, Aug. 12. The seventh game of the series was canceled on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 16, due to inclement weather. The game will not be rescheduled.
Players to watch
Dragons shortstop Justin Lebron will make his home debut tonight. In his first five games, the Reds’ 2026 first-round draft pick from Alabama is hitting .381 with two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs has a 1.171 OPS.
He’ll be joined in the infield by the Reds’ 2026 second-round pick Eric Becker. He’s hitting .184 with five RBIs and a home run.
Third baseman Tyson Lewis hit .375 in the six-game series at Lake County.
Hot streak
Quad Cities, a Kansas City Royals affiliate, is one of the hottest teams in the Midwest League. They’re hitting .264 over the last 30 days, the top average in the 12-team league. They also rank second in stolen bases and third in runs. The River Bandits roster includes three of the top five prospects in the Royals organization, including top prospect Kendry Chourio, a right-handed pitcher. The roster also includes lefty pitcher David Shields (No. 4) and catcher Blake Mitchell (No. 5).
Quad Cities is 4-2 against the Dragons this season.
What’s ahead
As the first-half champion, Dayton will have home field advantage in Midwest League East Division playoffs. They’ll play at the second-half winner on Sept. 8 before hosting playoff games on Sept. 10 and Sept. 11.