This season was an interesting year for Kyle Isbel. The Royals’ primary center fielder since the 2023 season, he took a step back at the plate after a career year in 2025. The defense was still borderline elite. Kyle Isbel…
Trenton Kraxner of Royals Review evaluated Kansas City Royals center fielder Kyle Isbel's 2026 season, raising questions about whether his time with the team is ending. After a career-best 2025 campaign, Isbel struggled at the plate and posted a -0.4 WAR across 100 games, missing nearly two months between June and August due to left plantar fasciitis.
While Isbel remained elite defensively with +7 Outs Above Average, Kraxner notes his offensive numbers dropped significantly to a .224/.268/.323 slash line. Kraxner suggests the Royals could explore trading Isbel, retaining him as a fourth outfielder, or handing center field duties to internal options like Tyler Tolbert or Carson Roccaforte.
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