Cubs' Miguel Amaya Carted Off Field with Apparent Leg Injury in 1st Game Back from IL

Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya had to be carted off the field on Wednesday with what appeared to be a leg injury after awkwardly stepping on first base while attempting to beat out a grounder, tumbling to the ground.

The injury came in the top of the eighth inning of the Cubs' matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays. Amaya had just returned from a stint on the 60-day injured list due to a left oblique strain.

The good news for the Cubs is that Amaya avoided the worst-case scenario after his ugly fall. Manager Craig Counsell told reporters after the game that X-rays were negative and the catcher suffered a sprained ankle, which would require a return to the injured list.

"A little concerned at the time of the injury," Counsell said. "It's swollen up pretty good already. It's an IL. It's a bad break, bad luck unfortunately, and we're gonna miss him."

Amaya, 26, appeared in 117 games for the Cubs last season, hitting .232 with eight homers, 47 RBI, 32, runs and a .644 OPS. He's only appeared in 27 games this season, with four homers and 25 RBI.

Carson Kelly has handled the majority of the catching duties in his stead and has been fantastic, hitting .273 with 13 homers, 38 RBI, an .845 OPS and 3.1 WAR across 80 contests.

The Cubs moved to 68-71 on the season following Wednesday's 4-1 victory over the Blue Jays. They remain 7.5 games behind the red-hot Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central but are currently holding down the top Wild Card berth.