Milwaukee Brewers pitcher DL Hall has engineered a dramatic career resurgence, anchoring a breakout 2026 campaign defined by a stellar 1.91 ERA across 61 1/3 innings. At the heart of Hall’s success is a restructured pitching arsenal, headlined by the successful implementation of a sinker that has unlocked the full potential of his existing offerings.
The integration of the sinker has provided immediate dividends for Hall’s changeup. By utilizing the sinker, Hall now creates a nearly identical delivery look out of the hand while establishing an average velocity separation of more than 10 mph. This dynamic has driven the changeup to the best whiff rate of his career at 39.1%, making it a trusted putaway pitch against right-handed hitters.
With his velocity returning to peak levels, Hall has also pushed his curveball harder than ever before at the Major League level, averaging 82 mph. Opponents have struggled mightily against the offering, managing just a 3-for-35 clip with an average exit velocity of 82 mph.
Brewers pitching leadership has closely tracked the psychological shift accompanying these mechanical gains. Once Hall began getting on time with the sinker and seeing positive results, his conviction on the mound grew visibly. The progression transformed how he attacks hitters, allowing him to seamlessly play pitches off one another.
Despite the heavy reliance on his new primary looks, Hall continues to mix in his four-seamer roughly 10% to 12% of the time, utilizing it effectively as an eye-level change of pace. Meanwhile, a newly developed sweeper has evolved into a reliable back-pocket putaway weapon primarily used against left-handed batters.
Hall’s journey to the sweeper began during an impromptu bullpen session in Los Angeles during the 2025 National League Championship Series against the Dodgers. Although he was not active on the Brewers’ postseason roster for that series, listening to discussions about how the team’s left-handers needed a sweeper to combat stars like Shohei Ohtani inspired Hall to experiment. During that single bullpen session, he immediately began generating sweepers with 20 inches of horizontal break.
Early on, Hall observed that hitters were frequently taking the larger sweeper, prompting an adjustment. He incorporated a shorter slider in the upper 80s to set up the larger, mid-80s sweeper as an effective chase pitch. Across the regular season and postseason, Hall has deployed the slider and sweeper combination roughly 18% of the time, holding opposing hitters to a meager 3-for-53 record while generating whiff and chase rates exceeding 40%.
Observers within the organization note that Hall possesses a classic starter’s repertoire, but his recent maturation centers on absolute clarity regarding his identity on the mound. That mental calmness and conviction represent the most significant areas of growth in his young career.
