KANSAS CITY — Royals center fielder Kyle Isbel exited Wednesday night’s 7-5 win over the Mariners in the top of the third inning with left hamstring discomfort, the team announced.
Isbel grounded out to first base to end the bottom of the second inning, but as he was running to first, he pulled up short and limped for the next few steps. When the Royals ran out to the field to begin the third inning, it was Tyler Tolbert playing center field rather than Isbel.
FanDuel Sports Kansas City showed Isbel sitting on the bench in the Royals’ dugout with a trainer nearby.
“He felt something in his hamstring,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “We’ll get him an MRI in the morning and see how it is.”
Isbel, 28, has been Kansas City’s everyday center fielder for the past two seasons and has been one of baseball’s best, entering Wednesday with +12 Outs Above Average, which ranked sixth best among MLB center fielders. Isbel has been a steady presence at the bottom of the Royals’ order, too, slashing .255/.301/.353.
Isbel has a history of soft-tissue injuries, which is why the Royals monitor his workload in center field. He spent time on the injured list with a left hamstring strain in 2023 but was able to stay healthy in ‘24 and for the majority of this season.
