Amaya continues offensive uptick in series finale win over White Sox

CHICAGO -- Life at the alternate training site four years ago consisted of pitchers facing the same group of hitters over and over. For Cubs lefty Justin Steele, pitching to Miguel Amaya proved to be a particularly frustrating assignment throughout their summer training in South Bend, Ind.

“For me,” Steele said, “he was one of the scariest hitters down there at that time.”

These days, Steele leads the Cubs’ rotation and Amaya is navigating his way through his first full Major League season as the No. 1 catcher. They partnered up on Saturday night and both played a key part in the North Siders’ 3-1 victory that secured a two-game sweep of the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Steele pieced together a quality start, allowing just one unearned run in six strong innings for the Cubs, who are now one game under .500 (59-60). Amaya did his part to aid that performance -- one featuring eight strikeouts -- but also came through with a go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth that continued a month-long offensive uptick for the catcher.

“I think you've seen Miggy make some really impressive adjustments this year,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said, “while also dealing with an entire pitching staff and playing his first full, extended season in the big leagues. So a really impressive guy.

“And that was a tough, big hit he had for us today and obviously a big spot.”

Hoerner drew a leadoff walk in the eighth against White Sox reliever Chad Kuhl, who then saw Dansby Swanson leg out an infield single on a chopper to the third-base side of the mound. That set things up for rookie Pete Crow-Armstrong, who used a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position with the game caught in a 1-1 deadlock.

Kuhl worked Amaya into a 1-2 count and then went with a slider, which veered over the inside edge. The Cubs' catcher -- who ditched a leg kick in favor of a more subtle heel-turn timing mechanism at the start of his swing in early July -- sent a soft liner into left field for a single, plating a pair of runs.

“We got a huge hit from Miggy,” said Cubs manager Craig Counsell, who called Amaya’s offensive progress over the past few weeks a “significant” part of the lineup’s overall improvement.

“Our catchers have been producing. [Christian] Bethancourt, too,” Counsell said. “That makes a big difference for us. [Crow-Armstrong] and the catchers producing has really made us a better offensive team. And tonight, it made the difference.”

Amaya first took his swing adjustment into a game on July 7 and saw immediate results, giving the catcher confidence to stick with the changes. His two hits on Saturday -- he also doubled in the fourth inning -- gave the catcher a .315/.373/.481 slash line with two homers, three doubles and eight RBIs in 20 games over that time period.

Heading into Saturday’s game, the Cubs’ catchers had combined for an .816 OPS with a 125 wRC+ (25% above MLB average) dating back to July 7. That is a dramatic jump in production over the period through July 6, during which Cubs catchers combined for a .463 OPS and a 30 wRC+ (70% below average).

“I don’t know as far as numbers or that stuff,” Hoerner said. “But it feels like he’s had a lot of hard-hit outs, too. It’s just the consistency of quality contact for him has been so good. And there’s a lot of power in there that I think he’s going to continue to get to naturally. Those moments that he’s been winning have been awesome.”

And the improvement from the bottom of the lineup -- typically the trio of Swanson, Crow-Armstrong and Amaya or Bethancourt -- has helped the order function better as a unit. That has helped the North Siders post a 20-12 record going back to the Fourth of July, keeping the team’s hopes of clawing back into the Wild Card race alive.

“It does feel like it is still within our grasp,” Hoerner said. “Obviously, we put ourselves in a hole with how we played for an extended stretch, but I do think you’re seeing a very complete version of us right now, as far as starting pitching, bullpen, defense and a full lineup. So, I think we’re in a good spot.”

Amaya has been an important part of that.

“I’ve kind of seen this coming with Amaya,” Steele said. “He’s a special player.”