Sox pitcher Crochet lands on 10-day IL with upper back strain

Garrett Crochet has been just as effective this season as he was last year, when he debuted with the White Sox two months after being their first-round draft pick.

But something's been off — actually, down.

In his 5 relief appearances in 2020, Crochet threw a total of 85 pitches and 45 were clocked at 100 mph or higher.

This season, the left-hander has been sitting at 96 mph with his fastball. Before Thursday's doubleheader against the Tigers, the Sox placed Crochet on the 10-day injured list with an upper back strain. The move is retroactive to April 26.

“I think there were times during spring training where he didn't feel like his delivery was all together, that he'd get a little cranky,” manager Tony La Russa said. “It's something that maybe progressed with time. More than anything else, it's strictly precaution to back off now. Feel confident 10 days from now, knock on wood, it'll solve it. But I think a lot of it is just from getting his delivery together where it's nice and smooth.”

Crochet didn't allow a run in 6 innings last season, and he's given up only 1 run in 9 innings this year.

Still, the 21-year-old reliever is getting used to the grind of a major-league season.

“It's been an adjustment,” Crochet said Wednesday before going on the IL. “First full spring training and then coming up here and throwing in the Chicago weather every day, it's a little bit different than I expected.”