Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya carted off after injuring left ankle stepping on first base

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TORONTO (AP) — One day after returning from a lengthy absence, Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya is headed right back to the injured list after spraining his left ankle stepping on first base Wednesday night against Toronto.

Amaya was carted off the field after the injury that happened when his foot landed awkwardly at the front of the base as he beat out an infield single in the eighth inning. Amaya twisted in the air after the impact and landed on his back in pain.

“You knew something was pretty seriously wrong pretty quickly,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.

Cubs trainers eventually lifted Amaya onto a waiting cart and he was driven off while holding a towel over his face. Counsell said X-rays did not reveal a fracture.

“It’s swollen up pretty good already,” Counsell said about Amaya’s ankle after the Cubs beat Toronto 4-1. “It’s an IL. It’s bad luck, unfortunately, and we’re going to miss him.”

The 26-year-old Amaya was reinstated from the injury list Tuesday after being sidelined since May 25 because of a left oblique strain. He hit .280 with four homers and 25 RBIs in 27 games prior to the injury.

“I hate to see what happened to him,” rookie right-hander Cade Horton said of Amaya. “Prayers to him. He’s a special player, a great teammate.”

Reese McGuire came on to run for the Cubs.

Besides McGuire, the Cubs also have catcher Carson Kelly on the 26-man roster.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb