NEW YORK — The vigor with which Rangers catcher Bobby Wilson is stumping for Cole Hamels to be an All-Star is adorable, because it makes it seem like there is any question that the left-hander will be heading to the Midsummer Classic for the first time since 2012.

“If he’s not deserving of an All-Star appearance, it’s a shame,” Wilson said Tuesday night after Hamels blanked the Yankees for seven innings in the Rangers’ 7-1 win. “What he’s done, and what he’s capable of doing every time he steps on the mound, he’s one of the premier pitchers in the game.”

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Wilson continued campaigning when asked another question about the starter he has worked with nine times this season, saying, “That’s what an ace does. An ace shows up every fifth day and gives you his best game, and that’s what Cole does. We feed off having Cole on the mound. Guys are in tune more with the game because he works at such a good pace, and you know that he’s trying to get early outs and pitch to contact, so guys are ready to go. Like I said, if he’s not an All-Star Game participant, it’s a shame, because he is one of the best pitchers in the league.”

Allowing six hits and one walk while striking out seven in a masterful, 86-pitch performance, Hamels lowered his ERA to 2.60, third-best in the American League behind Steven Wright and Danny Salazar. While won-lost record is not as valued as it used to be, Hamels is 9-1, and his 102 strikeouts rank sixth in the league.

Not only will Hamels be an All-Star, he deserves to be in the running to start the game, which happens to be in his hometown of San Diego. on July 12.

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“That’s not up to me,” Hamels said. “You’re going to have to ask (AL manager) Ned (Yost)."

"Every kid, if there was ever an opportunity to make it to the big leagues, if there’s a chance to make an All-Star team in your hometown, that’s always on your list," Hamels added. "That’s one of the tip-top, I think, achievements you could obviously have. One of my goals this year was to put myself in reach of being able to do that. Just being able to plug away and see if it happens. It’s been fun to be on this type of team because they’re the ones that allow you to get into that position.”

Hamels, in turn, has helped the Rangers get into position to do something special, as Texas is running away with the AL West, leading what was supposed to be a competitive division by double digits. The Rangers’ eighth straight road win put them 24 games over .500 for the first time since the final day of the 2012 season, when they won the wild card.

Texas is 20-6 in June, with Hamels owning four of the wins; he is 4-0 with an 0.65 ERA in his last four starts. But it’s not just when Hamels is pitching that he is helping the Rangers make the case that they are the team to beat in the American League, if not all of baseball.

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“Every day, he’s doing something to make himself better, and guys feed off of that,” Wilson said. “I know (Derek) Holland has learned a lot from him and I know some of the younger guys have learned a lot just from watching him do what he does on a daily basis.”

Hamels’ importance to the Rangers is heightened by the fact that Holland, Colby Lewis and Yu Darvish all are on the disabled list. The only Texas starters who have been healthy all year are the ace and the youngest member of the rotation, Martin Perez.

“You can’t overlook either one of those guys,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “They’ve been great stabilizers. They’ve been, all year long, giving us opportunities to manage the game well. Cole especially, look, we know that if we can get him the lead, he pitches very well from in front. He controls the game. He manages the game very well. It allows us an opportunity to make it through the game only using two guys out of the bullpen. He allows the offense to gain confidence and grind away until we can put multiple runs on the board.”

Hamels has gained confidence from being part of such a good team. He got to the Rangers last summer, of course, and pitched for Texas in the postseason, but there is a big difference between joining a team in the stretch run and coming in from the start of the season knowing that you are with a contender.

“When you’re (traded), the last two months of a season is a whirlwind,” Hamels said. “You’re most likely not living in your own house. You’re out of your suitcase the whole time and you’re trying to go for whatever you can. This season’s been good, knowing what to expect, getting kind of used to my surroundings, getting used to the teams I’ve got to play, the travel. It’s been a good experience.”

Hamels should have some extra travel to do in two weeks. He’d better, or Bobby Wilson is going to have some serious words for Yost.