Kyle Isbel DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Kansas City Royals outfielder Kyle Isbel is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Houston Astros. Isbel will head to the bench with left-hander Colton Gordon taking the mound for Houston. The Royals will play matchups and have right-handed slugger Mark Canha take over in left field and bat sixth versus Gordon. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly, but Isbel isn't worth rostering in most fantasy formats. However, it's worth noting that Isbel carried a six-game hitting streak into Tuesday's game, but it ended with his 0-for-3 performance in that contest.

Kansas City Royals outfielders Kyle Isbel and Hunter Renfroe are both starting on the bench for Thursday's tilt against the hosting Tampa Bay Rays. Drew Waters will start in center field and bat ninth, while Mark Canha gets the nod in right field and is hitting seventh against Rays right-hander Shane Baz. Isbel did have two hits in Wednesday's win over Tampa, but he's gone 6-for-31 (.194) with six RBI, a steal, no walks and five strikeouts in his last 11 games played. Renfroe, meanwhile, will probably continue to lose playing time in the Royals outfield after starting the year with a .167 average (11-for-66) with no home runs and only four RBI. Waters and Canha will both be low-upside DFS plays on Thursday, and neither player has faced Baz in their careers. Canha hasn't homered yet but has gone 9-for-26 with two RBI and five runs scored in his limited playing time.

Kansas City Royals outfielders Kyle Isbel and Hunter Renfroe and second baseman Michael Massey are all sitting in Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Minnesota Twins. Drew Waters is starting in center field and batting ninth, Cavan Biggio is in right field and hitting fifth, and Maikel Garcia is at the keystone and is batting sixth against Twins right-hander Bailey Ober. Isbel has gone 8-for-30 with a homer, double and three RBI in his first 11 games, while both Renfroe and Massey have struggled to get going early on in the 2025 season for the Royals. Garcia is probably the best DFS bet as a sleeper on Thursday, as he's hitting .308 (12-for-39) with two homers, three doubles, six RBI and a steal in 12 games so far this year. He's hit just .143 in seven career at-bats against Ober, but it's come with a home run and two RBI.