Promising Orioles Pitcher Poised for Expanded Role
As the Baltimore Orioles look ahead to the 2024 season and beyond, they have a lot of big decisions to make with all their young talent.
Figuring out the best roles for them and maximizing their strengths will be key to getting the most out of this young core, especially if ownership remains uninterested in spending in free agency.
After two seasons with the Orioles, DL Hall has established himself as an important piece of the puzzle.
The 25-year-old lefty showed major improvement in his second season, lowering his ERA from 5.93 to 3.26 and proving he can pitch at the big-league level.
Hall has only made one start in the majors so far, but Baltimore believes he has the potential to do it full-time someday.
Orioles GM Mike Elias praised Hall for "being in a good spot right now" and also said the organization views Hall as a starting pitcher in the long run.
For his part, Hall seems up to the challenge.
In an interview on Adam Jones' podcast back in November, Hall said that he plans on joining Baltimore's rotation in 2024.
That ultimately isn't up to him, of course, but it's good to see that's where his head is at and that he's on the same page as leadership.
Even if Hall doesn't open the year in the rotation, he could still be used as a fill-in if an injury pops up or if someone struggles. He deserves the chance to prove himself, and Baltimore needs to know if he really can become a starting pitcher.
