Cubs Down Another Starting Catcher

Well, after placing Miguel Amaya on the injured list Sunday morning the Cubs are down another starting catcher. Veteran Carson Kelly has been scratched from the series-finale against the Reds and recently-added catcher Reese McGuire will be getting his first start in 2025.

Kelly is down because of an illness.

Kelly was originally slotted in as the cleanup hitter against left-handed starter Nick Lodolo. McGuire will bat ninth.

(Previous Update)

The Chicago Cubs have officially placed Miguel Amaya on the 10-day injured list with an oblique strain, but they're not calling up top catching prospect Moises Ballesteros to replace him on the 26-man roster. Instead, veteran Reese McGuire has been selected from Triple-A.

McGuire has had an interesting 10 days or so, as he was recently released by the organization only to re-sign with the Cubs less than a week later. Now, McGuire is back in the majors.

Today's roster moves: pic.twitter.com/KncizgtVXL

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 25, 2025

The 30-year-old played in 53 games with the Boston Red Sox during the 2024 season. The left-handed hitter slashed .209/.280/.295, with three home runs in 158 plate appearances. In his career, McGuire has posted an 80 wRC+ with a career .664 OPS.

So far at Triple-A this season, McGuire has put up good numbers at the plate. He slashed .280/.360/.467, with three home runs in 86 plate appearances.

While some Cubs fans may be disappointed that Ballesteros wasn't the catcher called up from Triple-A, they have to consider that at his current developmental process behind the plate he's most likely not ready to catch on a semi-regular basis at the major league level. Also, now that Ian Happ is back and Seiya Suzuki and Kyle Tucker are splitting DH starts, it's not like Craig Counsell was going to put Ballesteros in the lineup over those guys.

There's no good in calling up Ballesteros and having him sit on the bench six out of seven games. That does him no good.

Sure, you're not expecting much from McGuire offensively, but you know he can handle an MLB pitching staff when he does start in place of Carson Kelly. McGuire made his MLB debut back in 2018, and has played in 354 MLB games since.

Kelly and Amaya were close to a 50/50 split in starts behind the plate so far this season, but now that Amaya is sidelined I'd expect that Kelly will start most games. McGuire may only get 1-2 starts per week.

The Cubs will know more about Amaya's oblique later next week.