What’s Craig Kimbrel’s role with José Alvarado about to return to the Phillies?

In a meeting this week to go over the scouting report on the Tigers, the Phillies told Craig Kimbrel what they’ve told him since before spring training: Be ready for anything.

Never mind that Kimbrel had given up two runs in his last 10 innings entering the series. Or that his fastball was picking up steam. Or that he struck out 19 batters, walked two, and converted six consecutive saves since José Alvarado injured his elbow last month through Tuesday night.

Just because Kimbrel has looked like a closer and acted like a closer doesn’t mean he — or anyone, for that matter — is the Phillies’ closer.

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“There was a situation where, before [Tuesday’s] game, we looked at it and I might’ve come in the seventh [inning], depending on where the lineup was,” Kimbrel said before allowing the go-ahead run in the ninth inning of Thursday night’s eventual 3-2 comeback victory. “It didn’t turn out that way, but we still prepared for it just in case.”

Kimbrel is fine with that, by the way. The Phillies made sure of it before they signed him in the offseason. The 35-year-old recently recorded his 400th career save, a milestone reached by only eight pitchers in baseball history. But manager Rob Thomson prefers not to appoint a closer, and Kimbrel doesn’t mind being one of four ninth-inning options.

Still, it’s worth wondering, with Alvarado poised to return Friday, whether the Phillies wouldn’t be better off with Kimbrel handling the majority of save opportunities.

“There’s multiple things I feel like I’m doing right to be successful right now,” Kimbrel said before his 34-pitch slog against the Tigers. “First thing is my control. I feel like I’m throwing the ball where I want on which side of the plate I want to throw it on, which is huge. And I’m landing my breaking ball better for strikes. It’s a pretty simple equation.”

It always has been. Even at his peak — 42 saves per year and a 1.97 ERA from 2011-18 — Kimbrel dominated hitters with two pitches: fastball and curveball. He likes to say he throws a change-up, too. But only once has he broken it out in a game, the needle in the haystack coming on his first pitch to Baltimore’s Jonathan Villar on Sept. 26, 2018.

Kimbrel long-tosses with his change-up to reinforce proper pitch grips and hand positioning. He said he’s most effective when he stays behind the ball and drives it downward through the strike zone. When his hand slides to the side of the ball, his command wavers and he gets into trouble.

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“You get on the side of a change-up, you can really see it,” Kimbrel said. “You get behind it, you can see the action that you want, which plays with the other two pitches. It’s more of a training pitch than anything, and it always has been.”

Kimbrel has other cues to help get back and stay on track. After giving up six runs in back-to-back appearances last month at Dodger Stadium (subtract those outings, and his ERA plummets from 5.25 to 3.13), he realized his posture in his delivery was a problem.

“I get in trouble when I get too low and get on the side of the ball,” Kimbrel said. “Staying tall helps me with extension, which helps the breaking ball play more [vertical] than side to side, which plays a lot better, especially when you’re trying to throw it for strikes.”

When those things are happening in combination — and Kimbrel is touching 98 mph, as he did Tuesday night in striking out the side in the ninth inning — his best role is probably the same as it ever was: closing out games.

Not that he has an expectation that he will be Thomson’s primary choice. Alvarado posted a 0.63 ERA and struck out 24 of 52 batters without allowing a walk before getting injured. Thomson will weaponize him in the highest-leverage moments, regardless of which inning they occur.

“I don’t think it’s only going to be the ninth,” Kimbrel said of his role. “I know it has been lately. But with Alvy coming back and the guys that we have in the pen, there are a lot of things we can do.”

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The Phillies will dedicate one of their Urban Youth Academy fields to late slugger Dick Allen in a ceremony at 1 p.m. Friday at FDR Park. They also will salute Allen in a pregame tribute at Citizens Bank Park.

Allen’s widow, Willa, and son, Richard Jr., are expected to be in attendance. His brothers, Hank and Ron Allen, will toss ceremonial first pitches. Former teammates Dave Cash, Garry Maddox, Rick Wise, and Larry Bowa also will be on hand, and fans will receive a Dick Allen bobble figurine.

Alec Bohm (hamstring) may be on track to be reinstated from the injured list before Saturday’s game. ... The Phillies signed right-hander Drew Hutchison to a minor league contract and sent him to triple-A Lehigh Valley. Hutchinson, 32, has a 4.89 ERA in 135 major league games, including a 4.64 mark for the 2018 Phillies. He was released last week by the Blue Jays. ... William Bergolla, an 18-year-old shortstop prospect, was promoted to low-A Clearwater this week and singled in his first at-bat. ... The Phillies held a pregame ceremony to salute retiring Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera. Ryan Howard was among those who presented Cabrera with parting gifts. ... Ranger Suárez (1-2, 5.47 ERA) will start Friday night against Dodgers rookie righty Michael Grove (0-2, 8.14).