Schadenfreude 209 (A Continuing Series)

George A. King III, Post:

After watching Aroldis Chapman turn into Mitch Williams and blow a one-run lead in the ninth then pitch poorly the next inning Sunday night against the Red Sox, it's hard to see the Yankees having enough to get by their blood rivals to win the AL East. ...

They have lost nine of 14 and have a forest of dead wood throughout the lineup, and Chapman is in a funk at the worst possible time, despite Joe Girardi saying he liked what he saw from the closer in the ninth, when rookie Rafael Devers, a left-handed hitter in his 15th big league game, drove a 103-mph fastball the opposite way over the 399-foot sign in left field and tied the score 2-2. ...

[Chapman:] "It happens." ...

[Aaron Judge's] strikeout avalanche continued with three more to raise his season total to 155. He has whiffed at least once in 30 straight games, which is two shy of Adam Dunn's major league record of 32. Since July 14, Judge is hitting .165 (16-for-97) and has struck out 46 times.

Kevin Kernan, Post:

Aroldis Chapman is the poster child for what's wrong with ... the Yankees right now.

It's all about lighting up the radar gun. ...

Chapman has to learn to pitch a little, command those laser beams, or the Yankees need to figure out a way to use him best and — considering the other arms they have in the bullpen — find someone else who can close. ...

Chapman surrendered a one-out home run to rookie Rafael Devers that allowed the Red Sox to tie the game in the ninth Sunday night at Yankee Stadium. Chapman then helped blow it completely in the 10th as the Yankees wound up 3-2 losers to Boston, dropping 5.5 games back in the AL East.

When asked by The Post if he would consider going to another big arm in the bullpen, Joe Girardi said flatly of Chapman: "He's my closer." ...

Chapman was a defiant man at his locker, smirking at one question about his struggles and saying through an interpreter: "I felt good with all my pitches, the breaking ball and the fastball." ...

Chapman is no longer totally trustworthy on the mound. Too often, it is a high-wire act. ...

[Chapman] walked off the mound to the sound of boos from the 46,610 fans. ...

He doesn't close games. He opens opportunities for opposing teams. ...

Girardi tried to paint a pretty picture, saying of Chapman: "He made one mistake. ... I thought his stuff was really good. I know the last inning he walked a guy and hit a guy, but if you look at his stuff in the ninth, it was pretty darned good."

Good enough to lose again.

John Harper, Daily News:

Something hasn't been quite right with Aroldis Chapman all season, and now it's official: the Yankees have a closer-crisis on their hands.

They were fortunate to survive a wild, messy outing on Friday night, thanks in part some dumb baserunning by the Red Sox, but on Sunday night Chapman cost them dearly.

Oh, this one hurt, all right. ...

The result was a killer 3-2 loss that leaves the Yankees 5.5 games back of the Sox, rather than 3.5, a difference that obviously could prove pivotal in this race for the AL East title. ...

[Girardi] tried to explain away Chapman's outing as if it were fluky, saying, "I actually thought Chappy was really good in the ninth. He made one mistake." ...

After walking the bases loaded on Friday night, and another on Sunday night, Chapman has issued 16 walks -- compared to 18 all of last season.

Perhaps more costly on Sunday night, he hit Jackie Bradley Jr. on the shoulder with an 0-2 fastball in the 10th inning, and seemed flustered at that point, overthrowing as he walked Eduardo Nunez, which is hard to do. ...

[Chapman] didn't seem to be in any mood to ponder where his invincibility has gone this season. And because he has a reputation for being temperamental, you wonder if Girardi is worried about how he would respond if he did take Chapman out of the closer's role. ...

[T]he Yankees may look back on this night if they can't make a push to catch the Red Sox.

Justin Tasch, Daily News:

The Yankees gave Aroldis Chapman the richest contract for a relief pitcher ever at five years, $86 million for nights like Sunday, when they want to count on the flame-throwing lefty to shut the door with a one-run lead against the rival Red Sox.

Chapman let his team down at a critical juncture. ... Chapman has given up six runs (five earned) in six appearances this season against the Red Sox ...

After hitting three homers with eight RBI over the first two games of the series, Benintendi delivered a crushing blow to the Yanks in the 10th with his go-ahead RBI single.

Brett Gardner went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. The left fielder is just 8-for-48 at the plate in August. ...

[Chase] Headley on if some losses sting more than others: "Sure. ... [B]ut there's a long ways to go. I liked the way we played today. ... We've got a lot of confidence in our bullpen."

Justin Tasch, Daily News:

After going 1-for-4 with a walk and three strikeouts in Sunday's brutal 3-2 loss to Boston, Aaron Judge is hitting .165 over 97 at-bats since the All-Star break, and he has struck out in 30 consecutive games. Joe Girardi maintains that Judge's issues at the plate are mechanical and aren't related to pressure. ...

"I feel good at the plate, so I'm excited for the next couple of days," Judge said after the game. ... "I'm ready to compete, good things will happen."