Castillo to DL — second straight year an O’s catcher suffers groin injury on May 30 (Andino suspended; Verrett demoted; Pena, Wright up)

Catcher Welington Castillo, who was struck by a ball in the groin in the ninth inning Tuesday, has been placed on the 10-day disabled list with a testicular injury.

The club’s leading hitter with a .317 average, Castillo stayed in Tuesday’s game, but afterward went to the emergency room and was diagnosed with a hematoma.

The pitch initially hit New York Yankees batter Didi Gregorius in the arm and then ricocheted off Castillo’s groin.

Although it may not be a lengthy DL stint, the Orioles didn’t want to have just one catcher on the roster, especially with emergency third backstop Ryan Flaherty also on the disabled list.

So, Castillo was placed on the 10-day DL before Wednesday’s game and catcher Francisco Pena was added to the 40-man roster (there’s a spot) and to the 25-man roster.

Caleb Joseph started Wednesday’s game and is likely to be the starter for the majority of Castillo’s absence.

It is Castillo’s second stint on the disabled list this year. He missed two weeks earlier this season with right shoulder tendinitis.

One year to the day of Joseph’s groin injury

In perhaps the strangest coincidence in baseball history. Tuesday – the night Castillo suffered the testicular injury – was the one-year anniversary of when Joseph took a foul tip to the groin and ultimately required testicular surgery.

Joseph was out for more than a month; Castillo’s injury will not require surgery and should not sideline him nearly as long.

But it’s difficult to fathom two catchers from the same team suffering similar, freak injuries in the “groin area” exactly one year apart.

Andino suspended for positive amphetamines test

Triple-A infielder Robert Andino, who had one of the biggest Orioles’ hits in recent memory and was attempting to make it back to the majors while playing for Norfolk, has been suspended for 50 games for testing positive for Amphetamine, a banned stimulant, Major League Baseball announced Wednesday.

Andino, 33, was hitting .234 in 49 games while playing shortstop, second base and third base with the Orioles’ top affiliate. The suspension is without pay.

Andino, who signed as a minor league free agent with the Orioles in the offseason, played parts of four seasons with the Orioles from 2009-2012. His game-ending hit in the final game of the 2011 season ended the postseason hopes for the division rival Boston Red Sox – a moment that was monikered “Curse of the Andino.” It’s viewed as the beginning of the Orioles’ recent run as a competitive member of the division.

Andino was one of two Orioles’ minor leaguers suspended by MLB on Wednesday. The other was Dominican Summer League outfielder Johnny Dixon, who was suspended for 72 games for testing positive for the performance-enhancing drug, Stanozolol. Dixon, 20, hit .256 in 64 games for the DSL Orioles last season.

Wright up; Verrett sent down

In another roster move, the Orioles recalled right-hander Mike Wright from Norfolk and sent right-hander Logan Verrett back to the Tides.

Verrett threw three innings, allowing three runs, Tuesday against the Yankees. He’ll go home to Texas to visit his newborn before rejoining the Tides on Friday.

Wright is expected to be used in long relief by the Orioles. He was 3-4 with a 4.19 ERA in 10 starts with Norfolk.