Isbel near Royals return, impresses with 3-hit night at Triple-A Omaha

Royals center fielder Kyle Isbel continued his Minor League rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Thursday as he nears his return to the Major League club after being sidelined by plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

Isbel, who has been on the injured list since June 10, had a big game and played five innings in center during the Storm Chasers’ matchup against Salt Lake at the Ballpark at America First Square.

Here’s what you need to know:

How did Isbel perform?

In four trips to the plate, Isbel had three hits, including a pair of RBI doubles. Over his first two games for Omaha, he went 1-for-5 with an RBI triple and a walk.

What’s next?

There is no official timeline for how long Isbel will be on his rehab assignment, but if he is able to continue playing without any issues with his left foot, he could be activated off the IL by the end of July or in early August.

What they’re saying

When he was placed on the IL in early June, Isbel said that the key to his recovery would be managing the inflammation, and so the timetable for a return was uncertain. Now that he’s back on the field in game action, the key will be to keep from reaggravating the foot.

“It’s just getting the inflammation down, and then there’s not really a timetable on it,” Isbel said. “Just more symptom-based. … Just a lot of pressure in the bottom of my foot.”

What else?

When Isbel returns to the Royals, he’ll hope to turn his season around over the final two months and recapture his form at the plate over the first month of the season. At the end of April, he owned a .292/.354/.458 slash line with three home runs and five steals. But from May 1 through June 9, he posted a .525 OPS.