Cubs Place Miguel Amaya on 10-Day IL, Call Up Reese McGuire

CHICAGO, IL — The Chicago Cubs officially placed catcher Miguel Amaya on the 10-day injured list Sunday morning due to a left oblique strain. Amaya sustained the injury during the fifth inning of Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds, which the Cubs lost 6-4.

Amaya’s departure from the game left a notable gap in the Cubs’ lineup. The 26-year-old is having a strong season, batting .280 with four home runs and 25 RBIs across 27 games. “I felt discomfort. I tried to throw again and sadly couldn’t keep in the game. It’s sad I am going to be out; I don’t know how long,” Amaya told reporters.

In response to the injury, the Cubs selected catcher Reese McGuire from Triple-A Iowa. McGuire, 30, has a career batting average of .252 over 355 games in the MLB, having played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox, and Boston Red Sox. This season, he has performed well in Triple-A, hitting .280 with three home runs and 19 RBIs in 22 games.

With Amaya sidelined, veteran catcher Carson Kelly will likely take over as the starting catcher. Kelly entered the season as Amaya’s backup but has proven himself with impressive stats, including a current batting line of .287/.416/.574 in 125 plate appearances.

There has been discussion among fans regarding the Cubs’ decision to bring McGuire up instead of rookie Moises Ballesteros. Many fans highlighted Ballesteros’s recent performance, where he achieved three hits and three RBIs in 16 at-bats during his debut earlier this month. However, the team seems to be prioritizing McGuire’s defensive skills.

Cubs fans will be anxious to see how this move impacts the team’s performance as they will need strong play from their catchers in the coming days.