MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee’s DL Hall returned to the majors nearly four months after spending time on the disabled list, raising hopes he might be able to help the National League Central-leading Brewers make a playoff push.
The left-hander struck out a career-high nine batters over 4 2/3 innings in the Brewers’ 4-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. It was Hall’s first MLB appearance since April 20, as he was one of the players the Brewers acquired in the trade that sent 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles.
“Overall, I thought this was a good step in the right direction,” Hall said.
The Brewers acquired Hall in the trade for Barnes along with Joey Ortiz and a competitive balance pick in 2024. Ortiz posted a .758 OPS as Milwaukee’s starting third baseman this season, while Hall spent most of his debut season with the Brewers recovering from an injury.
Hall, who turns 26 on Sept. 19, had pitched in just four games with Milwaukee, going 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA, but injured his left knee while catching a bunt on April 20 and was placed on the disabled list the next day.
He then experienced a number of setbacks during his recovery that delayed his return.
Hall aggravated the knee injury during a rehab game in May and then took a liner off his left forearm while pitching at Triple-A Nashville last month.
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“I’m just so grateful to be back,” Hall said. “With everything that happened during my rehab, it seemed like I wouldn’t be able to come back this year. Just knowing I’d get that feeling again that I had today is what kept me going. I was ready to come back and I was so blessed to be able to come back.”
Hall gave up three runs, five hits and three walks on Sunday, but his performance far exceeded his numbers.
Two of Cincinnati’s runs against him came on a soft liner to shallow center field by Santiago Espinal with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the fourth, and the other came on a home run by Tyler Stephenson in the bottom of the fifth.
“I thought he pitched well,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “It was really encouraging. I thought it was the best I’ve seen him pitch this year. I think he could have had a little more luck.”
Hall said he feels better now than he did in April before he went on the disabled list.
“As far as the feeling I get when I’m moving on the mound, I think it makes a pretty big difference,” Hall said. “With all of my pitches, if I have the right arm speed and body movement, I think it makes a big difference not only in my fastball velocity but in all of my other movement.”
This was Hall’s sixth career start, but he showed last year he has the ability to make a difference in the postseason and has the versatility to play both as a starter and reliever.
Hall was 3-0 with a 3.26 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 19⅓ innings in 18 relief appearances with Baltimore last season, including 3⅓ innings of no runs allowed and six strikeouts in relief in the Orioles’ AL Division Series loss to Texas.
Murphy also noted Hall still has minor league options available, which could help the Brewers as they build their pitching staff once relievers Brian Hudson and Trevor Megill come off the disabled list. Hudson last pitched for Milwaukee on July 23 and appears close to returning from a left oblique injury.
In other moves Sunday, the Brewers placed left-handed pitcher Hobie Milner on the 15-day disabled list with a left shoulder contusion and moved right-handed pitcher Enoli Paredes to the 60-day disabled list. Milner’s move is retroactive to Friday.
