Isbel went 3-for-4 with one double, two RBI and two runs scored in Friday's 12-5 win over the Yankees.
Isbel was the ninth of 10 consecutive Kansas City batters to reach base to begin the game, belting a bases-loaded double that drove in two runs. It's just the second time this season he's recorded more than two hits in a game. Isbel heads into the final two games of the season slashing .240/.282/.366 with five homers, 34 RBI, 45 runs and seven steals in 91 games.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Heads to bench Sunday
Rotowire
Isbel is out of the lineup Sunday against the Astros.
Isbel went 1-for-4 with an RBI single and a run scored in the Royals' defeat of Houston on Saturday, but he'll ride the pine in Sunday's series finale. Nelson Velazquez, Drew Waters and Dairon Blanco are starting across the outfield.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: On bench Friday
Rotowire
Isbel is out of the lineup Friday against the Astros.
MJ Melendez, Drew Waters and Nelson Velazquez will start across the outfield for Kansas City. Isbel has shown a bit more life at the plate in recent weeks, but he is slashing just .232/.272/.380 across 81 major-league games this year.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Not in lineup for afternoon game
Rotowire
Isbel is out of the lineup for the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader versus the White Sox.
The Royals are going with Drew Water is center field against Dylan Cease. Isbel figures to be back in the lineup for the second game of the double dip.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Not in starting nine
Rotowire
Isbel will be on the bench for Saturday's game against the Blue Jays, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.
Isbel recently missed five games with a tight hamstring but returned to start both Wednesday and Friday, going a combined 1-for-6 with two walks and four strikeouts. He'll retreat to the bench Saturday, with Drew Waters taking over in center field.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Returns to lineup
Rotowire
Isbel (hamstring) is starting in center field and batting eighth Wednesday against the White Sox in his return to the lineup.
Isbel missed the previous five games with a tight hamstring but is feeling well enough to give it a go in this one. He and his teammates will be squaring off against Touki Toussaint.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Held out again Tuesday
Rotowire
Isbel (hamstring) remains out of the lineup for Tuesday's contest versus the White Sox.
Isbel hasn't played since Friday because of a tight hamstring. The Royals consider the injury to be minor and expect Isbel to avoid the injured list, but the longer his absence drags on, the odds of an IL stint certainly increase. Drew Waters is in center field again Tuesday.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Nursing hamstring injury
Rotowire
Isbel hasn't played since Friday due to hamstring rightness, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Isbel is missing a third straight start Monday, but the hamstring issue is considered mild and his pregame workouts haven't been interrupted. It sounds like he has a good shot to avoid the injured list.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: On the bench again Monday
Rotowire
Isbel is not in the lineup for Monday's contest versus the White Sox.
Isbel has now been on the bench for three straight games, and this is the second one that's been against a right-hander. Drew Waters is in center field and Nelson Velazquez is in right.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Idle against southpaw
Rotowire
Isbel isn't in the Royals' lineup Sunday against the Red Sox.
Chris Sale will start Sunday's game for the Red Sox, so the left-handed bat of Isbel will retreat to the bench for the start of the game. Dairon Blanco will man center field in Isbel's absence and bat ninth.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Sits against another righty
Rotowire
Isbel is not in Saturday's lineup against the Red Sox.
Isbel will head to the bench despite having the platoon advantage (against Tanner Houck) for the second time in the last three games versus right-handed pitchers after starting regularly against righties prior to Aug. 29. The righty-hitting Nelson Velazquez has been getting more starts in the outfield recently while the Royals cycle players through the designated hitter slot.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Sitting versus righty
Rotowire
Isbel is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Pirates.
The 26-year-old will usually sit against left-handed pitchers, but he'll take a seat Tuesday despite Pittsburgh's opener (Colin Selby) and expected bulk pitcher (Luis Ortiz) both being right-handed. It is Isbel's second absence in Kansas City's past nine games, and he's gone 5-for-21 with a home run and five RBI during that span. Drew Waters will man center field while Dairon Blanco and Nelson Velazquez start in the corner outfield.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Swats homer Friday
Rotowire
Isbel went 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk and three total RBI in Friday's 7-5 loss to the Mariners.
Isbel was productive from the bottom of the order with an RBI single in the second inning and a two-run blast in the seventh. This was his fifth multi-hit effort in August, and he's now batting .290 (18-for-62) with 11 RBI over 20 contests this month. The outfielder is at a .246/.277/.394 slash line with five homers, 27 RBI, 32 runs scored and six stolen bases through 71 contests while maintaining a regular role in center field.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Heads to bench Wednesday
Rotowire
Isbel is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Athletics.
Isbel will be the odd man out of the Kansas City outfield while MJ Melendez, Drew Waters and Dairon Blanco form the Royals' starting trio from left to right. The move to the bench comes while Isbel has enjoyed a productive run at the dish over the past five games, going 5-for-14 with a double, a walk, four RBI and two runs.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Not in starting nine
Rotowire
Isbel will be on the bench Saturday against the Cubs.
Isbel sits after starting seven straight games. He's hitting .252/.270/.389 in 40 games since returning from a hamstring injury in late June, which represents only a modest improvement from the .209/.250/.352 line he recorded prior to the injury. Drew Waters starts in center field Saturday.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Gets aboard three times
Rotowire
Isbel went 2-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored in Friday's 12-8 win over the Cardinals.
Isbel was productive out of the No. 9 spot in the order again. He's hit safely in four straight games, going 5-for-14 with two steals, two RBI and four runs scored in that span. Long-term consistency has been a struggle for the outfielder this year -- he has just one other hitting streak of four or more games in 2023. Isbel is slashing .232/.263/.384 with six steals, four home runs, 18 RBI and 27 runs scored over 60 contests.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Not in Sunday's lineup
Rotowire
Isbel is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins.
Isbel started the past five games and will receive a day off after going 8-for-20 with a double, a home run, a stolen base, three RBI and six runs during that stretch. Drew Waters will shift to center field while Dairon Blanco starts in right.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Homer and steal in win
Rotowire
Isbel went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, a stolen base and an additional run scored in Friday's 8-5 extra-inning win over the Twins.
Isbel opened the scoring with his third-inning solo shot. He also stole third in the 10th inning as the designated runner. The outfielder has had a lackluster July, hitting .246 with a .727 OPS, three home runs and two steals over 21 contests. Despite the middling numbers, he remains a steady presence in the lineup, especially against right-handers. Isbel is slashing .213/.249/.373 with four homers, four steals, 14 RBI and 20 runs scored across 50 games this season.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Homers off bench
Rotowire
Isbel went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Sunday's loss to the Yankees.
After pinch hitting for Dairon Blanco in the seventh inning, Isbel cranked a solo homer off Ron Marinaccio in the ninth. The 26-year-old Isbel has been swinging the bat well of late -- he's gone 5-for-17 (.294) with a .941 OPS over his last five games. After a rough start to the year, Isbel's now slashing .208/.247/.364 with three homers, 16 runs scored, 13 RBI and three steals across 162 plate appearances this season.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Not in Sunday's lineup
Rotowire
Isbel is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees.
Isbel started the past four games and will receive Sunday off after he went 4-for-15 with three doubles, an RBI and five strikeouts. Dairon Blanco will take over in center field for the Royals.
