Tough Break for Cubs: Amaya Out Weeks with Oblique Injury
The Cubs have taken a serious blow behind the plate as catcher Miguel Amaya will miss 4–6 weeks due to an oblique strain suffered in Saturday’s game against the Reds.
Amaya, who has been a key contributor offensively in 2025 with a .280/.313/.505 slash line and a 127 wRC+, was officially placed on the injured list Sunday following an MRI.
Adding to the trouble, fellow catcher Carson Kelly has been absent from the lineup since Saturday as well, leaving Chicago temporarily without its elite catching duo—the most productive in baseball this season.
With both sidelined, veteran Reese McGuire has been called up from Triple-A and has started the past three games.
Despite Amaya’s injury, top prospect Moises Ballesteros is not expected to be promoted, as the Cubs are opting for experience over youth at this critical position.
Amaya’s absence is especially frustrating given the strides he made after reinventing his offensive approach in 2024. Now the Cubs will have to lean more heavily on Kelly—if healthy—or rely on backups like McGuire during a stretch where catching production will be hard to replace.