2026 Royals season in review: 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.