Isbel is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest against the Twins.
Isbel started the first three games of the four-game set, but he'll begin the series finale on the bench. Drew Waters is making his first start of the season for the Royals in center field and will bat ninth.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Knocks three hits, including homer
Rotowire
Isbel went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBI in Monday's 4-2 victory over the Twins.
Isbel popped his first homer of 2025 off Simeon Woods Richardson in the sixth inning, launching the solo shot 401 feet to right field. With this effort, the 28-year-old collected his first three-hit game since Aug. 12, 2024, which was also against the Twins. Isbel doesn't offer much fantasy intrigue outside of the deepest of leagues as he is currently the strong side of a platoon and hits in the bottom of the Kansas City lineup.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Sitting against southpaw
Rotowire
Isbel is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles.
Isbel and fellow left-handed-hitting outfielder MJ Melendez will head to the bench for the series finale while the Orioles send southpaw Cade Povich to the bump. The Royals will roll out a starting outfield of Mark Canha, Maikel Garcia and Hunter Renfroe from left to right.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Getting afternoon off
Rotowire
Isbel is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Brewers.
Isbel went 2-for-9 with a double and two runs scored while starting in center field in all three games of the Royals' season-opening series versus the Guardians. He'll be getting a breather as Kansas City opens a three-game set in Milwaukee, with Maikel Garcia spelling Isbel in the outfield.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Unimpressive spring at the plate
Rotowire
Isbel went 2-for-3 in Monday's spring training win over Arizona. He's hitting .265 (9-for-34) with a .686 OPS this spring.
Isbel will return as Kansas City's starting center fielder but likely needs to improve at the plate to keep from losing playing time. He hit just .240 last season with a .662 OPS, but his elite glove kept him in the lineup. Isbel has ranked in at least the 95th percentile in Outs Above Average each of the last three seasons. He'll also sit against most left-handed pitching as he hit just .161 with a .450 OPS against lefties last season. The Royals have experimented with Maikel Garcia in center field this spring, so Kansas City could look at other options if he struggles at the plate.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Avoids hearing with KC
Rotowire
Isbel agreed to a one-year, $1.75 million contract with the Royals on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Isbel will receive a $1 million raise in his first year of arbitration eligibility after slashing .229/.287/.367 with 42 RBI and 11 stolen bases across 136 regular-season games last year. While he is expected to start regularly in the outfield again in 2025, the 27-year-old's career-long lack of offensive production means he can be safely left off fantasy managers' radar.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Absent from Game 2 lineup
Rotowire
Isbel is not in the lineup Monday for Game 2 of the ALDS against the Yankees.
The left-handed-hitting Isbel will grab as seat as the Yankees send southpaw Carlos Rodon to the bump. Garrett Hampson is covering center field and batting ninth for the Royals.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Idle Saturday
Rotowire
Isbel isn't in Kansas City's lineup for Saturday's game against Atlanta.
Isbel will join many of the Royals' starters in getting a day off Saturday after the team clinched a postseason berth Friday. Dairon Blanco will get a chance to start in center field while Isbel rests.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Sitting against left-hander
Rotowire
Isbel is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest versus the Nationals.
The left-handed-hitting Isbel will begin the series finale on the bench as the Nationals start southpaw Patrick Corbin on the mound. The right-handed-hitting Garrett Hampson will patrol center field for the Royals.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Sitting versus lefty
Rotowire
Isbel is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Tigers.
Southpaw Tarik Skubal is on the hill for Detroit, so the left-handed-hitting Isbel will take a seat. Garrett Hampson will occupy center field and bat ninth for Kansas City.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Out of Sunday's lineup
Rotowire
Isbel is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.
Isbel will typically hit the bench versus left-handed pitching, but he's on the bench Sunday against Pittsburgh righty Jared Jones. Garrett Hampson is starting in center field for the series finale.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Swipes two bags in win
Rotowire
Isbel went 1-for-2 with a double, a walk, two stolen bases and a run scored in Saturday's 5-1 win over the Pirates.
One game after he had multiple extra-base hits, Isbel showed off a different skill by picking up his first steals since Aug. 19. The outfielder has a career-high 11 thefts on 13 attempts this year, and he's flashed additional speed with seven triples. He still has little to show for it overall with a .234/.286/.377 slash line, eight home runs, 42 RBI, 58 runs scored and 12 doubles across 124 contests.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Sitting vs. lefty
Rotowire
Isbel is absent from Monday's lineup against the Yankees.
Isbel will avoid a matchup with Yankees southpaw Carlos Rodon. Garrett Hampson will start in center field Monday and bat ninth.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Not starting Sunday
Rotowire
Isbel is absent from Sunday's lineup against Minnesota.
Isbel will sit Sunday after going 1-for-5 with one RBI and two runs scored across the first two games of the series. Garrett Hampson will start in center field and bat ninth.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Resting for nightcap
Rotowire
Isbel is out of the lineup for the second game of Monday's doubleheader with the Guardians.
The lefty-hitting Isbel drew the start in the Royals' 4-3 win earlier in the day while the Guardians opted for a bullpen game, but he'll head to the bench for Game 2 with southpaw Logan Allen toeing the rubber for Cleveland. Garrett Hampson will pick up a start in center field in place of Isbel, who went 1-for-4 in the first contest of the day.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Records steal Monday
Rotowire
Isbel went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Monday's 5-3 win over the Angels.
Isbel has gone 11-for-26 (.423) over his last eight games, a span that has seen him rack up five RBI and four extra-base hits. The outfielder has matched his career high with nine steals, doing so in just 11 attempts this year compared to 15 attempts in 2022. He's slashing .235/.289/.381 with seven home runs, 33 RBI, 49 runs scored, eight doubles and seven triples over 324 plate appearances as a strong-side platoon option in center field.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Idle vs. left-hander
Rotowire
Isbel is absent from Sunday's lineup against Cincinnati.
The lefty-hitting Isbel will sit for a second straight contest with the Reds sending southpaw Andrew Abbott to the mound. Garrett Hampson will man center field and bat eighth.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Sits against southpaw
Rotowire
Isbel is not in Saturday's lineup against the Reds.
He'll head to the bench with lefty Nick Lodolo on the hill for Cincinnati. The lefty-hitting Isbel may also sit Sunday with Andrew Abbott slated to start for the Reds.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Another three-hit effort Monday
Rotowire
Isbel went 3-for-4 with a double and one RBI in Monday's 8-3 loss to the Twins.
Isbel logged three hits for the second game in a row and it was his third consecutive multi-hit effort. The outfielder was ice cold before this hot stretch -- he went 0-for-21 over an eight-game span from July 30 to Aug. 7. He's now at a .236/.290/.386 slash line with seven home runs, seven doubles, seven triples, eight stolen bases, 31 RBI and 47 runs scored through 308 plate appearances. As long as he's hitting well, he should continue to handle a strong-side platoon role in center field, though there's nothing in his history to suggest an extended hot streak is on the way.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Tallies three hits, steals base
Rotowire
Isbel went 3-for-4 with a triple, three runs, an RBI and a stolen base Saturday in an 8-3 victory versus the Cardinals.
Isbel notched his second straight multi-hit performance following an eight-game cold stretch during which he went 0-for-21 at the plate. He's tripled in each of his past two contests and is up to a career-high seven three-baggers on the campaign, tied for fifth-most in the league. Isbel is slashing .228/.284/.377 with seven homers, 30 RBI, 47 runs and eight thefts overall in 2024.
