One of the biggest questions throughout Orioles spring training was answered Sunday afternoon when the club optioned DL Hall to minor league camp.

The left-hander had a slow start this spring with a lower back injury — a setback that prevented Hall, the organization’s No. 2 pitching prospect, from being built up as a starter in time for the beginning of the season.

The Orioles had two choices: Ramp him up as a starter in the major league bullpen, where he ended the 2022 campaign, or send him to Triple-A to go through his workload progression in Norfolk. They chose the latter option, putting Hall’s future as a starter above the short-term success of the club’s bullpen.

“Just had a little bit of a shortened spring training,” manager Brandon Hyde said after the Orioles’ 4-2 win over the Phillies on Sunday. “He threw the ball great, really happy with the progress he made. I loved the way he threw the ball all spring training. We just want to give him a few more innings and build him up a little bit more.”

This story will be updated.

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