Milwaukee Brewers: An Opportunity Exists Where The Final MiLB Option Of DL Hall Can Be Saved

The Milwaukee Brewers elected to option DL Hall to Triple-A prior to starting a four game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.  This decision came as a bit of a surprise for he had just been activated off the injured list and struck out nine batters during his first game back.  Despite this transaction occurring there is an opportunity where his final MiLB option can actually be saved.

What is a MiLB (minor league) option and what are the pertinent rules in this situation.

MLB.com has the following definition regarding a minor league option: Players on a 40-man roster are given three Minor League “options.” An option allows that player to be sent to the Minor Leagues (“optioned”) without first being subjected to waivers. Players who are optioned to the Minors are removed from a team’s active 26-man roster but remain on the 40-man roster. Other pertinent rules regarding minor league options include:

• Once an optioned player has spent at least 20 days in the Minors in a given season, he loses one of his options.
• Upon being optioned to the Minor Leagues, a pitcher must spend the minimum of 15 days in the minor leagues.
• If a player is serving as the 27th man for a doubleheader or replacing a player who has been placed on the injured list, there is no minimum number of days for which the optioned player must remain in the Minors.
• Only one Minor League option is used per season, regardless of how many times a player is optioned to and from the Minors over the course of a given season. (Players may only be optioned five times per season; after that, it requires outright assignment waivers to assign the player to the Minor Leagues.)
• Out-of-options players must be designated for assignment — which removes them from the 40-man roster — and passed through outright waivers before being eligible to be sent to the Minors.

How many MiLB options does DL Hall have remaining and why is it important that the Milwaukee Brewers save a MiLB option?

Milwaukee Brewers Pitcher DL Hall pitches during a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. – Max Correa / Milwaukee Journal SentinelWhen the Milwaukee Brewers acquired DL Hall from the Baltimore Orioles he had one minor league option remaining.  To date this still holds true despite him having made 13 starts in the Minor Leagues this season.  He made this many rehab appearances due to him initially recovering from a knee injury in which he subsequently  sustained a contusion after being hit by a line drive that resulted in an extended rehab stint. Preserving DL Hall’s final option is important because it would allow Milwaukee the ability to shuttle him between the Major and Minor leagues for another season.  As indicated in the rules section above if he loses his last option this year then during the 2025 season he would be subject to waivers should the Brewers want to assign him to the Minor Leagues.

What opportunity exists for the Milwaukee Brewers to preserve DL Hall’s final MiLB option? 

On August 30, 2024 the Brewers have a scheduled double header against the Cincinnati Reds that is due to a rain out from April 11.  This works in DL Hall’s favor very well because August 30 is 18 days after the Brewers assigned him to the Minor Leagues.  If Milwaukee calls him up to pitch in that game his option would be spared because he wouldn’t have spent 20 days in the Minor Leagues.  The only other way to preserve his last option would be to recall him following an injury to another Brewers player that resulted in an IL stint. Follow me on X @tylerkoerth.  Follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great up to date sports content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!.   We cover the Milwaukee Brewers, Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers, and Wisconsin High School Sports.  Additionally we provide the latest news coverage on the NFL, MLB, and NBA in which you can follow Gridiron Heroics, Hardwood Heroics, and Homeplate Heroics.