Isbel is slashing .438/.500/.563 through 13 Cactus League games.
Isbel has two stolen bases, four doubles, five RBI and six runs scored. Drew Waters' oblique injury opened the door for Isbel to earn a starting role to begin 2023, and he's run with the opportunity in spring. He could be a late-round source of speed in fantasy drafts.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Expected to open in CF
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Isbel is expected to be the Royals' Opening Day center fielder following the injury to Drew Waters (oblique), Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Isbel had seemed likely to play left field while Waters handled center, but now the former is needed in the middle of the diamond with the latter out six weeks. Edward Olivares, Nate Eaton and Samad Taylor should now see more action in the corner outfield spots, with Franmil Reyes also possibly in the mix. Isbel sports a disappointing .642 OPS so far in the big leagues but has showed some pop and speed in the minors.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Homers in Game 162
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Isbel went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Wednesday's loss to Cleveland.
In the final game of the season, Isbel took a 1-0 cutter from Aaron Civale in the fifth inning over the fence in right field for his fifth long ball of 2022 and first since Sept. 3. The 25-year-old received sporadic at-bats over the last couple of weeks of the season, likely due to his undesirable .211/.264/.340 slash line on the campaign.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Hits grand slam in win
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Isbel went 1-for-4 with a grand slam, a walk and two total runs scored in Friday's win over the Tigers.
Isbel scored Nick Pratto, Michael Taylor and Ryan O'Hearn on his fifth-inning grand slam. Isbel also came around to score on a seventh-inning double from Nate Eaton. The grand slam was Isbel's fourth homer of the season and his first since Aug. 6. The outfielder had suffered a three-game hitless streak to end August, but has gone 3-for-7 in his last two games, raising his batting average from .210 to .217 in the process.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Productive off bench Sunday
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Isbel went 0-for-1 with two walks, a stolen base and a run scored in Sunday's 15-7 win over the Padres.
Brent Rooker got the start in left field, but Isbel was effective after entering as a defensive replacement in the sixth inning. Isbel has his a meager .224 with one home run, four steals, seven RBI and 11 runs scored in August. The speedy 25-year-old is up to nine steals with three homers, 20 RBI and 25 runs scored through 217 plate appearances, though he's slashed just .214/.259/.338. He'll likely continue to serve as outfield depth, competing with MJ Melendez and Drew Waters for playing time in the corner outfield while also occasionally allowing Michael Taylor some rest.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Logs eighth steal
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Isbel went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Wednesday's 5-3 win over the Diamondbacks.
Isbel has been in contention for playing time around the outfield, but the arrival of Drew Waters in the majors could create competition between the two younger players. In August, Isbel has gone 10-for-44 (.227) with three steals, a home run, two triples and three doubles across 19 games. He's slashing just .214/.254/.342 with three homers, eight steals, 20 RBI and 24 runs scored across 210 plate appearances overall. The lefty-hitting Isbel should remain in a part-time role as the Royals evaluate many young options for their 2023 roster construction.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: On bench against righty
Rotowire
Isbel is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the White Sox.
The lefty-hitting Isbel is on the bench against a right-hander (Michael Kopech) after going 0-for-4 with a walk and a run scored while starting in the final two games of the Royals' weekend series in Tampa Bay. Though the 49-74 Royals are in evaluation mode as the season winds down, Isbel still looks to be stuck in a part-time role while MJ Melendez, Michael Taylor and Hunter Dozier profile as the team's primary outfielders.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Takes seat Wednesday
Rotowire
Isbel isn't in the lineup Wednesday against Minnesota.
Isbel is getting a day off after he went 1-for-7 with an RBI, a steal and a strikeout over the last three games. Nate Eaton will start in left field and bat eighth.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Nabs seventh steal
Rotowire
Isbel went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a stolen base in a 4-0 victory Sunday against the Dodgers.
Isbel had a run-scoring single and stole a base in the sixth inning. It was his seventh stolen base in 10 attempts this season. He's turned it on in August and has a .296/.345/.630 line with five extra-base hits and two stolen bases in 29 plate appearances. He's started nine of Kansas City's last 12 games, appearing at each of the outfield spots during that span. The Royals appear to be giving Isbel an extended opportunity to showcase his skills at the big-league level.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Not starting Thursday
Rotowire
Isbel isn't in the lineup Thursday against the White Sox.
Isbel went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs, two RBI, a stolen base and two strikeouts Wednesday but will get a day off for Thursday's series finale. Nate Eaton is taking over in right field and batting ninth.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Two RBI and steal in win
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Isbel went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base in Wednesday's win over the White Sox.
Isbel doubled and scored in the bottom of the third inning before later adding a two-run single, a stolen base and another run scored in the eighth frame. The stolen base was his sixth of the season and first since July 25. Over his last six games, Isbel has gone 7-for-17 with five extra-base hits, six RBI, eight runs scored and a stolen base.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Not starting Game 2
Rotowire
Isbel is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the White Sox.
Isbel started Game 1 and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, and he'll take a seat for the nightcap. Nate Eaton will man right field in his place for Game 2 of the twin bill.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Collects three RBI
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Isbel went 2-for-3 with a triple, a double, three runs scored and three RBI in Sunday's 13-5 win over the Red Sox.
Isbel hit an RBI triple in the seventh inning and followed it up with a two-run double in the eighth. After an 0-for-18 stretch, the 25-year-old has gone 5-for-9 with five runs scored over his last three games. Isbel is now slashing .222/.258/.359 with 17 RBI and 13 extra-base hits through 67 appearances.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Cranks third homer
Rotowire
Isbel went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Red Sox.
Isbel restored a one-run lead for the Royals with his fourth-inning blast. He recently endured an 0-for-18 skid across nine contests, but he's now gone 3-for-6 with a homer and a triple in his last two games. The outfielder is up to a .213/.247/.335 slash line, three long balls, 14 RBI, 16 runs scored and five stolen bases through 174 plate appearances. He can play all around the outfield, though the recently promoted Nate Eaton could push Isbel for playing time soon if the latter doesn't show improvement at the plate.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Out of Thursday's lineup
Rotowire
Isbel is not in the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Red Sox.
Isbel started the past two games and will take a seat while mired in an 0-for-18 slump. MJ Melendez, Michael Taylor and Nate Eaton -- who was called up from Triple-A Omaha on Thursday -- will start from left to right in the outfield.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Getting second straight start
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Isbel will start in right field and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against the White Sox.
Isbel will pick up his second consecutive start, and he looks like he could be one of the primary beneficiaries of the Royals' decision to trade Whit Merrifield to the Blue Jays on Tuesday. The trade should free up Hunter Dozier to pick up more reps at third base, thereby clearing room in the corner outfield for Isbel, who went 0-for-3 in Tuesday's 9-2 loss.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: On bench in second straight
Rotowire
Isbel is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees.
The Royals are opposing a lefty (Jordan Montgomery) for the second day in a row, so the lefty-hitting Isbel will once again find himself on the bench. Though Isbel looked prime to play regularly versus right-handed pitching following the trade of Andrew Benintendi to the Yankees a few days earlier, Salvador Perez's recent return from the injured list could result in Isbel losing out on playing time. With Perez is expected to step back in as the Royals' everyday catcher, MJ Melendez looks like he might log more time in the corner outfield at Isbel's expense.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Takes seat Saturday
Rotowire
Isbel isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Yankees, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.
Isbel will get a breather after he went 0-for-11 with five strikeouts over the last three games. Hunter Dozier is shifting to right field while MJ Melendez starts in left.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Enters lineup sans Benintendi
Rotowire
Isbel will start in left field and bat ninth in Thursday's game against the Yankees.
Isbel will man left field for the second straight contest and appears poised to find a regular home at the position after the Royals dealt Andrew Benintendi to the Yankees in exchange for three prospects Wednesday . Over 155 plate appearances this season, Isbel has managed a lowly .221/.258/.324 slash line, so he may need to show some improvement at the dish to ensure he sticks as a regular in the lineup once Edward Olivares (quadriceps) is back from the injured list.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Steals base as pinch runner
Rotowire
Isbel went 0-for-1 with a stolen base in Monday's 7-0 win over the Angels.
Isbel stole a base after running for Hunter Dozier in the seventh inning. It's been Dozier starting in right field since the All-Star break. Even with Edward Olivares (quadriceps) on the injured list, the lefty-hitting Isbel has been more of a fourth outfielder rather than a platoon option. He's up to five steals with a .227/.265/.333 slash line in 151 plate appearances, so he's yet to really command more playing time with his hitting.
