Yankees' Luis Gil on possible All-Star start: 'It would be a blessing'

In saying his “focus” is solidly on whatever start is in front of him, Luis Gil acknowledged that his mind occasionally has wandered to the possibility that next month brings: Not only the rookie righthander being named to the American League All-Star team but also the very real chance of him starting the game.

“It would be great. It would be a blessing to start the game,” Gil said Saturday through his interpreter.

Gil spoke on the eve of his next start, Sunday night against the Dodgers in prime time. He has been nothing short of a prime-time pitcher this season, going 8-1 with a 1.82 ERA in 12 starts.

Though the Yankees are managing the innings for Gil, who before this season had not pitched in the big leagues in nearly two years because of Tommy John surgery  in 2022, the organization isn’t likely to do anything to interfere with him pitching in the All-Star Game regardless of role.

Not that Gil, who is at 69 1/3 innings, is obsessing over that.

“It will be a blessing if it happens,” he said of an All-Star nod. “To be honest, I’m so focused . . .  I’ve talked about being focused, and I’m so locked in on every time I go out there and make a start. Trying to keep myself busy with that and concentrate on my job.”

Few in his line of work have done it better.

As for facing the Dodgers, who have one of the most feared lineups in the game — especially at the top with Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman — Gil doesn’t believe that the fact that they never have seen him before gives him any kind of an edge.

“I don’t think it’s an advantage,” Gil said. “When you look at the teams you’re facing, you know how good they are. Those guys go out there to play this game and they go out there very well-prepared. They do their homework and they know exactly what they want to do. I don’t think it affects [the outcome] that they haven’t seen me.”

Cole latest

Gerrit Cole is set to make his second rehab start on Sunday with Double-A Somerset and, according to Aaron Boone, will be in the range of 55 to 60 pitches. Cole will get at least one more start in the minors, but Boone again said the Yankees haven’t ruled out having him  continue his build-up in the big leagues.

“I think that’s possible that he doesn’t come to us at, whatever, call it 100 pitches,” Boone said. “What that point is, I don’t know. That hasn’t been decided yet. Gerrit will have a big say in that as well. He might even throw more in the minor leagues in his last game [there] and then come here and go a little less, knowing that it’s a step up in adrenaline and all that goes with being here [in the majors]. We’ll, as we go, kind of map that out and certainly he’ll be on board with that.”

By Erik Boland

erik.boland@newsday.comeboland11

Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.