The Cubs’ catching corps was a weakness for the team in 2024.

Miguel Amaya, Yan Gomes, Tomás Nido and Christian Bethancourt combined to post a .601 OPS last season, the fifth-worst mark from the position in baseball.

They’ve turned that into a strength in one offseason. The addition of Carson Kelly, who the team signed to a two-year pact this winter, has been a perfect complement to Amaya. The pair have slashed .316/.406/.649 for a 1.055 OPS, which is second-best in the majors behind the Cardinals.

Kelly and Amaya shined on Saturday in Los Angeles. Kelly started at catcher and Amaya entered the game in the fifth inning after Seiya Suzuki exited with right wrist pain. They went a combined 5-for-6 with three home runs, two walks and six RBI in the Cubs’ 16-0 beating of the Dodgers.

“It’s awesome,” Kelly told reporters in Los Angeles after the Cubs’ win. “Miggy’s been great. He’s a great player.”

Amaya made some swing changes in July last year, adopting a toe tap in his load and dropping the leg kick he’s used his whole life. He slashed .282/.331/.468 (.799 OPS) with six home runs and 32 RBI in his final 54 games after the adjustment. But there were questions about how it would carry over into 2025.

So far, so good. He’s hitting .278 this season with a .761 OPS.

“He’s a good kid,” Kelly said. “He wants to continue to get better every single day.”

The 30-year-old Kelly has played in parts of 10 seasons and had a similar path to the majors as Amaya. He was a former top prospect and was one of the key pieces in the St. Louis Cardinals’ package to the Arizona Diamondbacks for first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Kelly struggled in his first taste of the big leagues with St. Louis but has carved out a respectable career since.

And he’s taken off in Chicago.

This season he’s hitting .417 with a whopping .571 on-base percentage and a 1.613 OPS. Those numbers aren’t sustainable, but they showcase just what a leap the Cubs have made in the catching department on the offensive side.

It’s gone from being an easy out for opposing pitchers to a menacing name to face in the No. 9 spot of the Cubs lineup, no matter if it’s Kelly or Amaya.

“We’ve had a good relationship,” Kelly said. “I’m rooting for him every time he’s up there.”