According to Cubs manager Craig Counsell, X-rays on Amaya’s ankle were negative, but the swelling and severity of the sprain mean Amaya is expected to return to the injured list, just one day after being activated from a previous injury. Counsell described the incident as a “weird baseball play” and confirmed, “It’s an IL stint. It’s bad luck, unfortunately, and we’re going to miss him.”
Amaya, 26, had just returned from a 60-day IL stint due to a left oblique strain suffered in April. Teammates expressed disappointment over his setback. Third baseman Matt Shaw said, “We’ve seen everything Miggy’s done to get back here…he’s a huge part of this team. To see him go down, get carted off like that, it was really hard and we feel for him a lot.”
Prior to this injury, Amaya had been making an impact for the Cubs. In the 2024 season, he set career highs in games played, doubles, home runs, and RBI, and was a key presence behind the plate. Amaya started 103 games at catcher, ranking sixth among qualified National League catchers, and helped guide Cubs starters to a 3.59 ERA when catching. His performance in July was especially notable, as he posted a .333 average, the third-highest among NL catchers for the month. From July 7 to August 26, he led all MLB catchers (minimum 100 plate appearances) with a .341 average and .970 OPS, and his .341 average was seventh among all Major League hitters in that stretch.
Amaya debuted for the Cubs in May 2023 and has since established himself as a promising young catcher. Over his career, he has a .236 batting average, 17 home runs, and 130 hits in the majors. Born in Chitre, Panama, Amaya signed with the Cubs as a free agent in 2015 and quickly rose through the minor league system before reaching the majors. More on his stats and background can be found at Baseball-Reference and on his official Instagram profile.
With Amaya expected to miss more time, the Cubs will look to adjust their roster and catching rotation as they continue their season. His absence will be felt both offensively and defensively as the team pushes for a postseason berth.