Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya suffered more heartbreak on Wednesday night as he was carted off the field – just eight innings into his return from injury.
The Panamanian, 26, was playing his first game in three months after recovering from a left oblique strain. ‘Thank God (I’m) healthy,’ Amaya said on Tuesday.
But at the top of the eighth in Chicago’s game against Toronto on Wednesday, he took a brutal fall as he crossed first base.
Amaya flew into the air and landed heavily on the ground. He stayed down and required immediate medical treatment.
Chicago trainers eventually lifted Amaya on to a cart and he was driven off the field with a towel over his face.
The 26-year-old was only activated from the injured list on Tuesday – having been sidelined since May 25 – but 24 hours later, Cubs manager Craig Counsell had more bad news.
Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya suffered yet more injury heartbreak on Wednesday night
The Panamanian was carted off the field just eight innings into his return from another injury
‘You knew something was pretty seriously wrong pretty quickly,’ Counsell said after the game.
The manager revealed that X-rays did not show a fracture but Amaya’s ankle is ‘swollen up pretty good already.’
Counsell added: ‘It’s an IL. It’s bad luck, unfortunately, and we’re going to miss him.’
Rookie right-hander Cade Horton said of Amaya: ‘Prayers to him. He’s a special player, a great teammate… I hate to see what happened to him.’
The third-year catcher has hit .281 with four home runs and 25 RBIs in 28 games.
Amaya went 1-for-3 on Wednesday as Chicago earned a 4-1 win over the Blue Jays. Reese McGuire, who replaced him, and Carson Kelly are the other catchers on the roster.
