Brewers' talented left-handed reliever expected to be back before the postseason

The Milwaukee Brewers had a curveball thrown their way, and unfortunately, it wasn’t one DL Hall delivered from the mound. The left-handed pitcher was placed on the 15-day injured list on August 16 with a right oblique strain, an injury that cropped up during his outing against the Cincinnati Reds after 2.2 innings of work. While the timing isn’t ideal, there’s good news attached: Hall is eyeing a return by mid-September, giving him just enough runway to be part of the club’s postseason push.

As Jack Stern of Brewer Fanatic reported, the Brewers remain optimistic that Hall will be ready before October baseball begins. That’s significant, because Hall has quietly been one of the most important depth pieces on Milwaukee’s pitching staff this season. His development into a more consistent weapon out of the bullpen has been one of the underrated storylines of 2025, in a season where every inning has mattered for a Brewers team taking the NL Central by storm.

Brewers lefty DL Hall targeting September return after oblique injury

When Milwaukee first acquired Hall, they knew the talent was undeniable, but the consistency was in question. His 2024 campaign showed exactly that: across 13 appearances (7 starts), Hall went 1–2 with a 5.02 ERA. He struck out 44 hitters in 43 innings. It was a year defined by flashes of brilliance while also coming back from a left knee sprain that kept him sidelined in the early parts of the season.

This season, though, has been a turning point. In 19 appearances (3 starts), Hall has posted a 3.35 ERA across 37 2/3 innings, with 27 strikeouts. The strikeout numbers aren’t as gaudy as last year, but what matters is the cleaner execution: his WHIP has dropped all the way from 1.60 in 2024 to 1.04 in 2025. Fewer baserunners, less chaos, and more confidence in attacking the strike zone. 

The key difference has been Hall’s approach. Instead of trying to blow hitters away with his fastball-slider combo every pitch, he’s been more strategic, pitching to contact and trusting the gloves behind him. The result has been shorter innings, steadier outings, and a left-hander who looks far more comfortable on the mound.

Of course, his story is still being written. The strikeouts aren’t where some expected them to be, and concerns with his walk rate, while improved, haven't disappeared entirely. But when you stack his 2024 numbers next to his 2025 rebound, the progress is undeniable. The Brewers are seeing the payoff of the gamble they took when they brought him aboard. And if he returns healthy down the stretch, Hall could continue being a key bullpen piece for the postseason, and potentially turn back into a starter for the 2026 season and beyond.