Rehabbing in the minors, Darick Hall will need to play his way back to the Phillies

It took a season-ending injury in spring training for Darick Hall to finally secure his spot on the Phillies’ roster. And it will take more than returning from an injury for him to reclaim it.

Never mind that Hall has six hits in five minor league games since coming back from thumb surgery. Or that the Phillies have cycled through four first basemen since Rhys Hoskins was lost for the season in March. Hall is hardly a cinch to rejoin the Phillies after completing his minor league assignment.

“D-Hall has been out for a while, so he needs at-bats,” manager Rob Thomson said Tuesday. “He needs to get his rhythm. He needs to get his timing. When he does, he’s a player.”

Hall played his first game on May 30 with low-A Clearwater and was transferred to triple-A Lehigh Valley on June 2. In three triple A games, he’s 3-for-12 with a double. In five games overall, he’s 6-for-20.

A minor league assignment for a player on the injured list can last for up to 20 days. If Hall takes the maximum allotted time and doesn’t have a setback, the Phillies would need to reinstate him from the injured list on June 19.

But Hall also can be sent to the minors without being exposed to waivers. And by the time the 27-year-old slugger is ready to return, the Phillies figure to have other first-base options.

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Alec Bohm has fielded grounders and taken batting practice over the last two days and may be ready to return over the weekend from a strained left hamstring. The Phillies have liked the quality of first-base fill-in Kody Clemens’ at-bats. Clemens was 14-for-44 (.318) with a .388 on-base percentage in his last 14 games entering Tuesday night against the Tigers.

Oh, and Bryce Harper progressed this week to throwing on back-to-back days after doing so on alternate days. He isn’t likely to be cleared to throw to bases or play defense in games until after the All-Star break, but he’s getting closer.

Hall was the Phillies’ first choice to take Hoskins’ place after a solid spring training. He hit nine homers in 136 at-bats last summer after Harper broke his thumb but got sent to triple A once Harper returned. And Hall was 4-for-18 this season when he injured his thumb on a slide into second base at Yankee Stadium.

But it seems clear that he will need to play his way back to the majors.

“Having good at-bats, taking his walks, using the field, putting the ball in the seats,” Thomson said. “If he does that, he can be here.”

The Phillies held a brief pregame ceremony to pay tribute to Craig Kimbrel, who last week became the eighth pitcher ever to record 400 career saves.

Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman, members of the 400-save club, were among the people who congratulated Kimbrel in a video that played on Phanavision. Roger Clemens also weighed in, along with Phillies owner John Middleton and commissioner Rob Manfred.

But there may be a larger tribute coming for Kimbrel. Manfred can invite one player from each league to the All-Star Game to recognize a career accomplishment. According to USA Today, he’s considering Kimbrel and Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen, who also joined the 400-save club last month.

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Barring a setback after pitching one inning Tuesday for double-A Reading, José Alvarado (left elbow inflammation) is slated to be reinstated from the injured list Friday, according to Thomson. Alvarado has been sidelined since May 8. ... Reserve outfielder Cristian Pache (knee surgery) and catcher Rafael Marchán (hand surgery) had their rehab assignments transferred to Lehigh Valley. Unlike Hall and Marchán, Pache must clear waivers to remain in triple A at the completion of his assignment. ... Entering Tuesday, the Phillies were 15-10 at home and 13-22 on the road. Forty-two of their 72 games after the All-Star break are at home. ... Zack Wheeler (4-4, 4.33 ERA) is scheduled to start the series finale Wednesday night against Tigers right-hander Reese Olson (0-1, 3.60).