Whistles sounded from the left-field bleachers as Cubs catcher Yan Gomes jogged across the outfield to the bullpen Wednesday afternoon before the series finale against the Cardinals.
Earlier in the day, the Cubs activated Gomes off the seven-day concussion injured list. He started behind the plate.
“Actually gave him an extra day yesterday, making sure everything was up to speed,” manager David Ross said. “He feels great.”
Gomes, who left the Cubs’ game in Washington, D.C. on May 1 after being hit in the head with a backswing, became eligible for reinstatement Tuesday, but rookie catcher Miguel Amaya got one last start.
Gomes’ return to health meant the end of Amaya’s first stint in the big-leagues. But after starting the year in Double-A, he was optioned to Triple-A on Wednesday – a promotion with a big-league detour.
“The swings were good, the play discipline was good, the approach, how he handled the [pitching] staff, the way he interacted with his teammates and pitching department and the catchers, there’s a lot of positives from that,” Ross said. “It’s just extremely rewarding knowing, … in a position that’s really hard to find in the major leagues, we’ve got a young young man coming that we have high hopes for.”
Amaya went 3-for-13 over the course of six games – four starts and two appearances off the bench. He had a clutch RBI in his MLB debut. And he garnered praise from coaches and teammates alike.
“He’s super professional,” veteran right-hander Jameson Taillon said after throwing to Amaya in his debut. “I can tell that he really wants to be really good, cares about his pitchers. … I think he’s gonna be good for a long time.”
