KANSAS CITY -- Royals outfielder Jorge Soler, on the 60-day disabled list because of a left toe fracture, experienced a setback in his rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha and has returned to the Royals.
Royals manager Ned Yost said Soler could be shut down the rest of the season to allow the injury to heal 100 percent.
"He's got edema in the bone marrow now," Yost said. "He didn't fracture it again. But he's just got to slow down. We shut him back down."
Soler has been on the disabled list since June 16. He went out on his rehab assignment last week.
"We've got four weeks left [to the season]," Yost said of the chances Soler might return. "It probably doesn't look very good."
Without Soler returning, the Royals would free up a 40-man roster spot, possibly for left-hander Eric Skoglund (60-day disabled list) or a prospect such as Josh Staumont or Frank Schwindel to be added as a September callup next week.
Six-man rotation?
Right-hander Ian Kennedy (oblique) is going to make one more start in his rehab assignment, likely with Double-A Northwest Arkansas over the next few days. And when Kennedy returns, Yost said he is pondering a six-man rotation so he can still continue to evaluate his younger arms.
"I don't want to take [Heath Fillmyer] out, [Brad Keller] out, [Jakob Junis] out of the rotation," Yost said. "I want to keep looking at [Jorge Lopez]. I don't want to take [Danny Duffy] out. If I could have an eight-man rotation I would. I want to see [Glenn Sparkman] pitch, too, and [Skoglund].
"We're more open to [a six-man rotation] now once Kennedy gets back. We'll see how his next start goes."