NEW YORK - Marcus Stroman and the Toronto Blue Jays will have their work cut out for them tonight when they face Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka to open a three-game series in New York. Tanaka has certainly lived up to the hype this season, going 10-1 with an American League-best 2.02 ERA. The Japanese right-hander went the distance to win his fourth straight start on Wednesday in Seattle, as he held the Mariners to a pair of runs and six hits. He also struck out 11. With 103 strikeouts and 14 walks, no pitcher ever has struck out more while walking fewer through their first 13 games. Also, hes thrown a quality start in all 13 of his outings. "If he keeps this up, hes going to have one of the greatest first years in baseball of any pitcher whos ever played this game," said Mark Teixeira. Tanaka debuted with a win over the Toronto Blue Jays back on April 4. He gave up three runs over the first two innings, but settled down and pitched five scoreless innings after that. Of course, the Jays will only be the second team to have faced him twice. Tanakas lone loss came against the Chicago Cubs, the first team that had a second look at him. "Theyre a very good lineup, whether you see them the first time, the fifth time," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of the Blue Jays. "Theyre extremely dangerous so, yeah, Im looking forward to it. My thought is hes going to do fine. I wouldnt think that he wouldnt. But obviously youre curious." Tanaka will be trying to help the Yanks bounce back after losing two of three in Oakland that culminated with a 10-5 setback on Sunday. Carlos Beltran and Brett Gardner homered, while Derek Jeter and Teixeira knocked in a run each for the Yankees, who ended a nine-game road trip 5-4. "Today was one of those games," Jeter said. "But I think for the most part weve been playing good as of late." Toronto heads into the Bronx holding a 4 1/2-game lead on both the Yankees and Baltimore Orioles atop the American League East standings, despite losses in seven of its last 10 games. The Blue Jays, though, have won two of three and split a four-game series with the Orioles over the weekend. On Sunday, Dioner Navarro finished with three hits and drove in a pair of runs, leading Toronto to a 5-2 win. Edwin Encarnacion doubled twice among his three hits and scored twice for the Jays, who received an RBI each from Melky Cabrera, Jose Bautista and Steve Tolleson in the victory. J.A. Happ (6-3) worked six-plus innings, allowing seven hits and one run while fanning six. Casey Janssen recorded the games final four outs to earn his 12th save. "Today was a big game for us," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "We came to life a little bit and Happ was outstanding. He really was. He gave us what we needed, just like he was the other night. He gave us a chance to win." Getting the call for the Blue Jays on Tuesday will be right-handed rookie Marcus Stroman, who suffered his first loss of the season his last time out. After winning his previous two starts Stroman absorbed the loss to Minnesota on Wednesday, allowing three runs and nine hits over six innings to fall to 3-1 on the year to go along with a 5.18 ERA. The Medford, New York native will be making his first-ever appearance against the Yankees. "Any time you have an opportunity to pitch in front of a bunch of family and friends its exciting," Stroman said. "I have a bunch of people texting me, a lot of people from high school, college reaching out to me telling me theyll be at the game." New York won two out of three games in their lone meeting with Toronto this season. Gerry Cheevers Bruins Jersey . Watching them over the past year - and in some cases, two years - has given us a starting point for this seasons Craigs List. Brad Marchand Jersey .J. Barea during a three-game shooting slump that was getting him booed off his home court with regularity. http://www.thebostonbruinshockey.com/charlie-mcavoy-hockey-jersey/ . "Im excited just for a new start, just to see where things are going, to bring some kind of tradition back to the team and guys being excited about something new," the defensive back said during a conference call Monday after agreeing to stay with the Bombers rather than go to free agency next month. Johnny Bucyk Jersey . Hamilton signed offensive linemen Mike Filer, Joel Reinders, Landon Rice and Carson Rockhill. Phil Esposito Bruins Jersey . Messis father, Jorge Horacio Messi, is apparently still under investigation for an alleged 4 million euros ($5.3 million) in unpaid taxes from Messis image rights from 2007-09. Messis public relations firm confirmed Spanish media reports that the state prosecutor has asked for Messi to be dropped from the investigation that began in June 2013.TORONTO – He was the home run acquisition in the summer of 2009. Formerly a member of the rival Canadiens and a noted thorn in the side of Mats Sundin, Mike Komisarek signed in Toronto for five years and a hefty $22.5 million. It was four years later, almost to the day, that Komisarek had his contract bought out by the organization, the American defender unable to realize the nasty game which brought him to the Leafs, seemingly weighed down by the burden of his sizeable contract. When free agency opened this past summer it was David Clarkson getting the big deal in this city, inked to an even grander pact which extended over seven years and was worth upwards of $36 million. Wary of the effect large contracts – and their respective pressures – can have on athletes Randy Carlyle took to drawing a red line on the expectations for Clarkson prior to his exhibition debut with the club on Monday evening. "We dont want him to be anything more than David Clarkson," said Carlyle. "Theres a trap at times when players do change teams and contracts become something notable, the first thing they try to do is change the way they play. Thats one thing we want to guard against. We want David Clarkson to play the way hes capable of playing and [do] the things he normally does, not try to be anything more than what hes been before." "I dont read anything or look at anything," Clarkson said of the expected pressures. "All Im going to do is go out every night and give everything I have. Am I going to be perfect? No. Im going to make mistakes. But Im going to play that same kind of style of hockey that got me here." Clarkson delivered such a brand in his first game with the Leafs. He played with a physical edge, he chirped the opposing bench, he had his opportunities offensively and was generally an irritant. Thumped at one point in the second frame by Nicklas Grossman, the 6-foot-4, 230 pound behemoth on the Flyers defence, Clarkson went about roughhousing with his much larger opponent. "It was like trying to move a fridge," chimed Clarkson, listed at an even 200 pounds. "It was just more that I didnt like getting hit like that." Whether Clarkson can live up to a contract of serious proportions will remain an open question, but one the organization isnt contemplating. "Im not worried about [years] six and seven right now," Leafs general manager Dave Nonis said of Clarkson, hours after the signing was announced in early July. "Im worried about [the first] one and year one I know were going to have a very good player. "I believe that hes got a lot of good years left in him," Nonis continued. "Hes not 35 years old." Clarkson scored 30 with the Devils two years ago, adding 15 in 48 games last season. The Leafs arent hedging their bets strictly with offence though instead looking to their free agent add to provide decent measures of truculence, leadership and many of the intangibles which cant be measured. "If David Clarkson doesnt score 30 goals in a Leaf uniform, but provides all the other things that we know hes going to provide were pretty comfortable were a better team," Nonis noted. It was fitting then that Carlyle would nod in approval when questioned on Clarksons unlikely exhibition scrap with Grossman. "Hes done it all his career," he observed. "Thats why he is what he is." And all the Leafs want him to be. Five Points 1. Clarksons choice A teammate of Clarkson while the two were in New Jersey, Mark Fraser was far from surprised when he got word that the Toronto native had landed with the Leafs. "It was no secret that [Clarkson] was a big fan of the blue and white," Fraser grinned. "There couldve been 29 other teams in the running and I think I knew who he wanted to sign with more." 2. Bernier debut Jonathan Bernier made few, if any, changes to his pre-game routine ahead of his first start with the Leafs on Monday night. "Its pretty much the same," he said. "Actually the only thing that changed [is] we have meals here and then I go for a little nap. Pretty much the same routine as usual." Bernier said the most difficult adjjustment to a new team, new city, new everything really, was actually on the ice, getting a read on the system his team employs.dddddddddddd "Youve got to make sure that you know where your [defencemen] are going to be," he said, noting the need for understanding of such tactics on the penalty kill and opposition forecheck. "For me especially, handling the puck, thats a big adjustment." Bernier stopped 15 of 16 shots before he was replaced by Drew MacIntyre midway through the game. 3. Gardiner revival It was sophomore year at the University of Wisconsin, the last point that Jake Gardiner felt his confidence dip to where it plunged last season. But after some redemption in the playoffs and an offseason spent back in Minnetonka, Minnesota, Gardiner is feeling revived heading into his third pro season. The 23-year-old looks back to his experience in 2013, one that saw him bounce between the Marlies, Leafs and press box, as likely to be beneficial over the long run. "It was nice to have a down in my career just to know what its like," he said earlier this week, "try to never experience that again obviously and just keep moving forward." Following that disappointing second season with the Badgers in college, Gardiner returned as a junior and dominated, finishing second to teammate Justin Schultz in scoring among all WCHA defenders. 4. No Maintenance Troy Bodie has at least one fan in Randy Carlyle. "Hes a no maintenance guy," said Carlyle of the imposing 6-foot-4 winger, inked to a one-year deal this past summer. "Hes one of those guys that you think if there was a model for your younger players to model themselves after Troy Bodie would be one of those guys. Coaches love no-maintenance players." Carlyle coached Bodie for parts of three seasons in Anaheim, the now son-in-law of MLSE President Tim Leiweke spending the past two seasons in the American League. "Hes not a flashy guy," continued Carlyle of Bodie, who played for Dallas Eakins and the Marlies in 2009-10. "I would say hes an up-and-down winger thats going to take the body, good teammate." Opportunity may just be knocking for Bodie with fellow fourth line element Frazer McLaren scheduled to miss at least two weeks with a fractured pinky finger. Carlyles fondness for the brash ingredient is known and because of his familiarity with the player, Bodie could sneak his way onto the roster. "I know what he expects," Bodie said of the Leafs coach, "so its nice for me not to come into this camp blind. I understand what he expects and what kind of player he would want me to be if I was there playing for him." 5. A brief on T.J. Brennan The Leafs represent the fourth organization T.J. Brennan has been apart in a matter of months. Drafted and bred by the Sabres (a second round selection in 2007), Brennan was finally shuffled off to Florida this past March. He went on to play 19 games for the Panthers, posting a couple goals and nine points. A restricted free agent, he and the front office in Sunrise couldnt come to terms on a new contract and thus Brennan was on the move again, this time to Nashville for Bobby Butler in mid-June. The Predators opted not to qualify Brennan and aimed to sign him to a two-way deal. Brennan though, desiring some level of control, declined and became an unrestricted free agent. Sensing some opportunity and a good fit, he signed with the Leafs for one year on a one-way deal. "It seemed like a good partnership here," said Brennan, who played 22-plus minutes on Monday, paired with Gardiner against the Flyers. "It definitely seemed like somewhere I could grow and really settle in and take the things Ive learned from Buffalo, Florida and the minors and really establish myself." The Leafs like the edge and offence Brennan can potentially provide – he scored 14 goals with Rochester in 2013 – and see his addition as an opportunity to inject depth on the blueline. Quote of the Night "I wouldnt say it was a classic NHL game." -Randy Carlyle on his teams 4-3 loss in the shootout. Up Next The Leafs travel to Ottawa for a Thursday clash with the Senators. ' ' '