Schadenfreude 210 (A Continuing Series)

Mike Mazzeo, Daily News (filed before the game):

After getting the last two days off Aroldis Chapman is available and will be Joe Girardi's closer if needed Friday.

Chapman, who has struggled, had been dealing with a tight hamstring as well as some confidence issues. ...

He has an 8.44 ERA in six appearances against Boston this season.

Mike Mazzeo, Daily News:

Aroldis Chapman was once arguably the most feared closer in all of baseball.

But the Red Sox don't seem to fear him at all. ...

The 29-year-old flamethrower now owns a 9.95 ERA against the Red Sox this season in seven appearances (6.1 IP, 7 ER, 10 BB, 7 K).

Mike Mazzeo, Daily News:

Aroldis Chapman's confidence is completely shot.

And the Yankees' already slim chances of winning the AL East may be shot as well.

Chapman looked lost on the mound once again, giving up two more runs, and the Bombers' bullpen imploded in a demoralizing 9-6 defeat to the Red Sox on Friday night at Fenway Park. ...

Red Sox fans chanted "Chapman! Chapman!" as the $86 million man allowed Rafael Devers and Christian Vazquez to complete a double-steal in the eighth inning without even noticing before Jackie Bradley Jr.'s two-run single. In his last four appearances, the 29-year-old flamethrower has allowed seven runs.

George A. King III, Post:

When you look how much baseball remains there is a tendency to believe the Yankees have time to catch the Red Sox.

Until you scratch below the surface and find just how big the warts that cover the pinstripes are because what ails the Yankees is a very serious problem.

The Yankees were seven outs away from taking the first of three games against the Red Sox on Friday night at Fenway Park with a three-run lead that should have been larger had they hit in the clutch.  ...

The loss stopped a four-game winning streak ... [and] dropped the Yankees five games back of the AL East-leading Red Sox who have won 13 of 15 ...

The Yankees went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left 14 runners on base.

Aaron Judge grounded out to end the sixth with the bases loaded and whiffed in the seventh with one out and the bases juiced again. ...

[I]n a 13-game stretch from July 8 to Aug. 5 [Chapman] went 3-1 with six saves in seven chances, allowed eight hits, struck out 15 and had a 1.42 ERA.

Since then Chapman has worked 4.1 innings in four games, allowed five hits, five walks, fanned five and has a 14.55 ERA.

Joel Sherman, Post:

A Yankees lead already had been blown when Aroldis Chapman entered Friday night's game at Fenway Park.

There already was pinstriped despair prior to Chapman's appearance because the Yankees had rallied from a three-run deficit to gain a three-run lead and create exactly what they are built to want — a battle of the bullpens.

But by the time manager Joe Girardi summoned Chapman, Chad Green and Tommy Kahnle had conspired to hand the Red Sox a one-run lead. ...

Chapman made bad worse. For himself. For the Yankees. For the present. For the future. ...

It was not long ago that Chapman — if he was going to dispense triple digits — could just scream “fastball” and still overwhelm hitters. Yet, now he is routinely getting squared up — by lefties and righties. ...

Chapman did everything but redecorate the clubhouse before facing the media at 12:25 a.m. — more than an hour after Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the ninth to put the Red Sox up five games in the AL East.

He insisted he was not frustrated or lacking confidence, but did call this "definitely the hardest [moment in his career]." ...

The hole is growing deeper. Chapman has given up runs in four straight outings ... Three of those games were against the Red Sox and, well, that is not exactly how to endear yourself to the Yankees faithful.

John Harper, Daily News:

The bulked-up bullpen was built for games like this, with depth that was supposed to make all the difference, only it killed the Yankees on this night, and once again it feels as if they're being pushed to the edge of the cliff by the Red Sox.

After all, if the bullpen isn't the one clear-cut advantage over the Sox the Yankees thought it would be down the stretch, they're simply not catching their arch-rivals in this AL East race. ...

[I]t was 7-6 and when Girardi used Chapman anyway, the Red Sox jumped him for two runs, getting good swings as if he was throwing 90, not 100. Furthermore, they embarrassed him by pulling off a double-steal when the lefthander didn't bother to so much as look back at the runner at second. ...

Add it all up and, man, the Yankees had some crushing losses against these Red Sox lately. You have to wonder how many they can withstand before it dooms them once and for all to second place in the AL East and the wild card path to October.