May 24, 2018 2 min read

Chicago White Sox catcher Welington Castillo was suspended for 80 games by Major League Baseball on Thursday following a positive test for a performance-enhancing substance.

The commissioner’s office cited use of EPO. Erythropoietin is a hormone that stimulates the red-blood cell production and often turns up in test results for cyclists.

Castillo apologized in a statement through the players’ union, saying he has “let many people down.” He pointed to an “extremely poor decision that I, and I alone, made. I take full responsibility for my conduct.”

General manager Rick Hahn told reporters on Thursday that he learned of the suspension on Wednesday night as the White Sox pounded Baltimore 11-1.

“Obviously we were surprised, saddened and disappointed to learn of Welington’s suspension.” Hahn said. “He certainly has stood up and accepted responsibility for his actions. It doesn’t change the fact that it’s disappointing.

“I’ve gone through a lot of emotions over the last several hours,” he said. “We had ourselves perhaps the most entertaining game of our season (on Wednesday) with a lot of positive things. and quite frankly I didn’t really enjoy much of it.”

Castillo accepted the penalty without contesting it before arbitrator Mark Irvings. The discipline stemmed from an in-season test, and he became the eighth player suspended this year under the major league drug-testing program.

Castillo is in his ninth major league season. The 31-year-old Dominican is batting .267 with six homers and 15 RBI this year on a team that is 15-31.

Baltimore 9, Chicago White Sox 3: Dylan Bundy struck out a career-high 14 and pitched a two-hitter for his second complete game in the majors, leading the Baltimore Orioles over the Chicago White Sox 9-3.

Oakland 4, Seattle 3: Stephen Piscotty and the Athletics tagged Felix Hernandez early, and Oakland ended the Seattle Mariners’ five-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory.