Cubs’ Miguel Amaya Taken Off on Stretcher After Shocking Fall—What Happens Next Could Change Everything

Whoa, what a night at the Rogers Centre! Chicago Cubs’ catcher Miguel Amaya found himself in a tough spot after an intense tumble sliding into first base during the eighth inning of their 4-1 victory over the Blue Jays. The kid was hustling hard, crushing a grounder and actually beating the throw, but then—out of nowhere—he tripped over the bag and hit the dirt hard. It was one of those gut-wrenching moments you don’t want to see as a fan. He curled up in pain for what felt like forever, clutching a towel over his face as he was carted off, visibly shaken. Cubs skipper Craig Counsell revealed postgame that Amaya sprung a left ankle sprain, but thankfully no broken bones showed up on the X-rays. Still, it means he’s headed back to the injured list, and that’s a bummer considering he just returned after nursing an oblique strain since late May. Heading into the game, Amaya was holding a respectable .280 average, with some pop and solid RBI numbers, and it was his first night back on the diamond. Despite the scare, the Cubs managed to cling to their lead, with rookie Cade Horton dazzling as he carried a no-hit bid deep into the sixth inning, stringing together the longest scoreless innings streak of the season. This W snapped their two-game skid, though the team still sits behind the Brewers in the NL Central race. As the Cubs and Blue Jays gear up to close their series, Chicago’s got some crucial games ahead at home that could really shake up the division. Stay tuned. LEARN MORE

Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya had to be carted off the field in Toronto on Wednesday night after he went down with a brutal fall trying to make it to first base.

Amaya hit a short ground ball in the eighth inning of Chicago’s 4-1 win over the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Wednesday night and took off toward first. Amaya actually beat the throw to first and was called safe in the moment, but he appeared to trip over the bag and went flying into the dirt.

He immediately curled up into a ball and remained on the ground for quite some time, clearly in a lot of pain.

He was eventually carted off the field while holding a towel over his face, clearly emotional.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell said after the game that Amaya was diagnosed with a left ankle sprain, though X-rays were negative. He will head to the injured list, though it’s unclear for how long.

Amaya had just made it back to the field after a long stint on the injured list with an oblique strain. He had been there since May 25, but was reinstated officially on Tuesday. He entered Wednesday’s game holding a .280 batting average with four home runs and 25 RBI this season. He had one hit in three at-bats on Wednesday night — his first game back.

Though they lost Amaya, the Cubs held on to grab the three-run win. Cubs rookie pitcher Cade Horton carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, too. That gave him 29 consecutive shutout innings, which is the longest streak of the season. The Blue Jays spoiled his no-hit bid in the sixth and scored, too, which ended that run.

The win snapped a two-game losing skid, but marked just their third win in eight outings. The Cubs hold a 68-57 record and sit in second in the NL Central, but trail the Milwaukee Brewers — who won their 12th straight earlier on Wednesday — in the division.

The Cubs and Blue Jays will wrap their three-game series on Thursday afternoon in Toronto. The Cubs will then return home for a three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates before a five-game run with the Brewers at Wrigley Field, where they can really make a dent in the NL Central deficit.