CINCINNATI -- For a catcher in the Minors, it’s a good idea to always be ready.
Take Reese McGuire. The catcher, who signed a Minor League contract with the Cubs on Jan. 22, was selected from Triple-A Iowa on Sunday to take the place of Miguel Amaya, who went on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain.
McGuire wanted to show he still has what it takes to be a contributor on a big league team. And did he ever.
McGuire became the third player since 1901 with a two-homer game in his first game with the Cubs, joining Jim Marshall in the first game of a doubleheader on Aug. 24, 1958 against Philadelphia and Earl Webb on April 12, 1927 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
McGuire had a sense of timing and drama Sunday, belting his second homer of the game to spark a four-run eighth that rallied the Cubs past the Reds, 11-8, at Great American Ball Park.
“It’s kind of a dream come true, to kind of be able to put together a first game like that and help win the series,” McGuire said. “And that's what this team has been doing since I've been watching them, is win a lot of series lately.”
McGuire became emotional in both a postgame on-field interview with Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports and again in front of his locker minutes later, talking about the process of going through the Minor Leagues this year to return to the Majors for the first time since last July with the Red Sox.
“I’m just thankful for the opportunity,” McGuire said in the victorious clubhouse. “Never give up on your dream, because this game can battle-test you, for sure. And yeah, I'm just happy that I have family supporting, and, yeah, I’m getting emotional now again. But never give up on your dream and just keep believing in yourself.”
The plan for manager Craig Counsell was to let him get his feet under him and back up starter Carson Kelly on his first day.
Then Kelly came up ill Sunday morning. All of sudden, the 30-year-old who hadn’t caught a game in the Majors since July 24, 2024 when he was behind the plate for the Red Sox at Colorado was batting ninth and catching starter Ben Brown.
“In Reese's situation, you maybe feel like something's slipping away and you're not getting an opportunity, and you're asked to just keep going without any promise of an opportunity,” Counsell said. “And then when you least expect it, you get an opportunity. [He] wasn't in the lineup today, wasn't planning on getting called up [Saturday] night, I'm sure.
“And you get that opportunity, and maybe have the game of your life. And you know, it's the things that make all these players keep going, because you don't know when that day comes and it's hard to do. It sounds easy, I'll just keep going. But when you get bad news or no news, it's hard. So you're happy for them, very happy for them.”
In the second inning, McGuire fell into an 0-2 hole before belting an 83 mph curve just beyond the reach of Will Benson in right field for his first homer. In the eighth, he was down 1-2 with another lefty, Taylor Rogers, and hooked a sweeper over the wall in right for a game-tying roundtripper, pumping his fist as he rounded first base.
“Like [the second inning], I got into the count and wanted to just slow down the moment again,” McGuire said. “I think two or three times I just closed my eyes and just tried to tell myself to calm down, just get a good pitch to hit and don't try to do too much with it.”
In 22 appearances for Triple-A Iowa, he slashed .280/.360/.467 with three home runs, 19 RBIs. McGuire has a career .252/.300/.364 slash line over eight seasons with the Blue Jays, White Sox and Red Sox.
“I'm a confident player, and always believe that I belong in this league,” McGuire said before Sunday’s game. “So, I was ready with Triple-A for that opportunity down there to just make the most of the games that I'm in and continue to hone in my skills and be ready for moments like this and moments beyond.”