White Sox catcher Welington Castillo has been suspended 80 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, MLB announced Thursday.
Castillo tested positive for Erythropoietin, better known as EPO, which has long been banned by various sports governing bodies and has been linked to multiple doping scandals in cycling.
According to the World Anti-Doping Administration, "EPO is a peptide hormone that is produced naturally by the human body. EPO is released from the kidneys and acts on the bone marrow to stimulate red blood cell production. An increase in red blood cells improves the amount of oxygen that the blood can carry to the body’s muscles. It may also increase the body’s capacity to buffer lactic acid."
In a statement released Thursday, the White Sox said they were "saddened" by the news and Castillo had taken full responsibility for his actions.
Statement by #WhiteSox General Manager Rick Hahn: pic.twitter.com/3hG68YwFsG
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) May 24, 2018
Castillo, 31, is batting .267/.309/.466 with six home runs and 15 RBI in 123 plate appearances this season.
His suspension is the second of the month, following Mariners star Robinson Cano, who was banned 80 games for PED use just after breaking his hand.