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Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya is headed back on the injured list just one day after his return, following a freak injury during the team’s 4-1 win over the Blue Jays in Toronto on Wednesday night.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell confirmed the devastating news after the game, telling reporters that Amaya suffered a left ankle sprain during the eighth inning.
“Negative on the X-rays, which is great. We were a little concerned, obviously, at the time of the injury,” Counsell said. “It’s swelling up pretty good already – it’s an IL. It’s a bad break – bad luck – unfortunately, and we’re going to miss him.”
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Amaya, 26, was running toward first base when he appeared to awkwardly land on his left foot as he beat out an infield single. The landing sent him flying off the base as he hit the ground hard.
Medical staff quickly rushed over, and Counsell said he immediately knew the injury was significant.
“You’re hoping it’s just a collision or a scare… but it was pretty clear after 20 seconds that he had either sprained it or worse. You knew something was pretty seriously wrong pretty quickly.”
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Counsell called it a “weird baseball play” that resulted in tearful Amaya leaving the field on a medical cart.
Amaya’s injury came just one day after he returned to the lineup after first being placed on the 60-day injured list on May 25 due to a left oblique strain. He hit .280 with four homers and 25 RBI in 27 games prior to that initial injury.
Rookie right-hander Cade Horton called Amaya a “special player” after the team’s latest loss to injury.
“I hate to see what happened to him,”Horton said. “Prayers to him. He’s a special player, a great teammate.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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