Kyle Isbel Recalled for Royals’ Final Game vs. Twins
Last night wasn't a pretty one for the Kansas City Royals. They'll look to get out of Minnesota with a series win over the division-rival Twins on Sunday.
Starting pitcher Brady Singer pitched 4.2 innings of five-hit, six-run ball in Saturday's 9-2 loss to the Twins. He gave up five home runs in the process and simply didn't have prime command of his pitches throughout the night. The Royals were behind the eight ball all game long and will look to put that behind them today.
Lefty Kris Bubic takes the mound today for the Royals. In his last outing, Bubic allowed just two runs in 5.1 innings and recorded four strikeouts in the process. With his ERA trickling back down near 5.00, a big game from him would help secure two wins in this three-game slate with Minnesota for Kansas City.
Here's how the Royals will line up in this afternoon's game.
Starting Pitchers
Kansas City: LHP Kris Bubic (4-6, 5.07 ERA)
Minnesota: RHP Bailey Ober (2-2, 4.00 ERA)
Kansas City Royals Starting Lineup
- Whit Merrifield (R) - 2B
- Nicky Lopez (L) - SS
- Salvador Perez (R) - DH
- Andrew Benintendi (L) - LF
- Carlos Santana (S) - 1B
- Adalberto Mondesi (S) - 3B
- Ryan O'Hearn (L) - RF
- Kyle Isbel (L) - CF
- Sebastian Rivero (R) - C
Isbel rejoining major league club
Per Anne Rogers (among others) of MLB.com, the Royals have recalled outfielder Kyle Isbel from Triple-A Omaha and placed Michael A. Taylor on the family medical emergency list. Isbel will play in centerfield for the team today and is looking to stick around for longer than just a cup of coffee. In 12 games with the Royals earlier this season, the 24-year-old hit .265 while striking out 15 times. In 105 contests with the Storm Chasers, Isbel's .269/.357/.444 line is respectable. He also has 15 home runs and has lowered his strikeout percentage to 20.2. The Royals' No. 6 prospect projects to be a part of the team's future in the outfield, so any MLB playing time he gets is a major advantage and presents him with opportunities to impress the coaching staff.
Can Benintendi stay hot?
In the past six games, left fielder Andrew Benintendi has raised his season line from .251/.300/.403 to .265/.309/.433. He's sporting a .500 batting average over that span, and his 1.538 OPS is video game-like. He also has more RBIs (13) than hits (12) from Sept. 6 to Sept. 11. The Royals are undoubtedly a better team when Benintendi is producing at the plate, but he's been battling injuries and inconsistency all season. A big final month could go a long way towards carrying positive momentum into the 2022 campaign. As the Royals look to distance themselves from the Twins in the AL Central standings, they will need Benintendi to keep playing well.
Follow Along
First Pitch: 1:10 p.m. CST
TV: Bally Sports Kansas City
Radio: 610 Sports Radio
