A strange night in Toronto for the Yankees

Not only did the Yankees blow a chance to clinch a playoff spot on Friday night, insult was added to injury when an intruder broke into the team’s clubhouse.

2017 has been a year of consistent inconsistency for Yankees pre-season No. 1 shooter Masahiro Tanaka. With a contractual opt-out looming, the 28-year-old Tanaka picked the wrong season to go 12-12 with a 4.94 ERA and 1.272 WHIP (all career worst).

On a night where the boys from the Bronx could have punched their Postseason ticket with a win over the AL East last-place Blue Jays (and subsequent losses by both the Angels and Rangers), Tanaka served up a tater-fest, giving up three long balls, including a grand slam to Ryan Goins, of all people.

Tanaka has now surrendered seven earned runs in two of his previous three outings, lending credence to the whispers that Luis Severino may very well start the AL Wild Card play-in game.

Following the game, Tanaka attributed his poor performance to a continued mechanical issue which he intends to watch of tape to hopefully rectify the situation.

Manager Joe Girardi told the New York Times he believes Tanaka’s issues stem from his inability to consistently throw his patented split-finger fastball/slider combo for strikes.

"“You look at everything,” Girardi said. “But I don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves. We still haven’t clinched anything. We need to win games, and we need to play well. And tonight we didn’t.”More from Yankees NewsYankees chose worst possible player to ring in New Year on 2023 team calendarYankees make upside play, sign former Rangers top prospect outfielderMichael Kay’s Anthony Volpe story will get Yankees fans amped for Opening DayNo, Yankees should not acquire Trevor Bauer for 2023Yankees’ Marwin González replaces Red Sox LF in Japan in logical next step"

With nine games remaining in the regular season, the 85-68 Yankees get another chance to guarantee themselves a playoff spot on Saturday afternoon against the mostly anemic Jays.

With a 5 1/2 game lead of over the Twins for the first AL Wild Card spot, whom the Yanks just swept in convincing fashion, locking up home-field advantage in the excruciating one-game play-in on Oct. 3 is of the utmost importance.

At least the Yankees won the battle against a clubhouse intruder

According to the Associated Press, as Tanaka spoke to the media following the 8-1 loss, Todd Frazier and Tyler Wade joined team security and Rodgers Centre attendants in chasing an intruder out of the rear doors of the Yanks’ clubhouse.

The man who was quickly apprehended was reportedly hunting for team souvenirs, including towels and a Yankees’ ball boy helmet.

One would think if you’re going to risk possible jail time and expulsion from all Blue Jays games moving forward, you’d aim for something of more value, like the bat Aaron Judge used to slug his 46th home run on the year.

Anyway, I digress…

Frazier, who had a less than memorable baserunning blunder (falling for the old hidden ball trick), was incensed that a stranger was able to wiggle his way into a “secure area.”

Next: Who Does the Toddfather play for next season?

"“It was real freaky to see somebody in here that you don’t know,” Frazier said, via The AP. “You don’t know what he’s carrying or anything. I’m glad security got him. Hopefully, that won’t happen again.”"