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The Red Sox have the best record in the American League since manhandling the Jays 15-1 at Fenway Park on June 28, one of only three Boston wins in the 10 meetings between the teams this season.

Over that span, Chapman, who was once suspended 30 games for “use of a firearm and the impact of that behaviour on his domestic partner,” had allowed just one run over 23 appearances going into Tuesday’s game.

闯补测蝉听closer Jeff Hoffman, meanwhile,聽had allowed eight runs in five appearances before getting his 30th save with a scoreless inning Tuesday.

There’s nothing like losing a game that appears to be wrapped up going into the final inning, let alone a loss like the Jays suffered Monday, when they came from behind in the ninth to take the lead only to see the Reds turn the tables right back on them.

For those of a particular vintage, it’s hard not to think back to the late-August week in 1983 that knocked the contending young Jays out of a race they trailed by just a game and a half going in.

They took a 3-1 lead to the bottom of the ninth in Baltimore on Aug. 24. Dave Geisel blew the save and the Orioles won in the 10th.

A day later, Roy Lee Jackson gave up a walk-off two-run double to Dan Ford in the 10th. The day after that, Detroit’s Alan Trammell homered off Jim Gott in the bottom of the 10th. And, on Aug. 28, Joey McLaughlin gave up a two-out, three-run homer to Chet Lemon in the bottom of the ninth.

Four walk-off losses in five games. That was worse than this year’s struggles聽鈥� the Jays haven’t lost more than two in a row since late July聽鈥� but what’s going on now feels just as bad.

Only four teams had more blown saves than the Jays’ 23 through Monday’s games. Incredibly, Boston is one of them, with 24, despite the fact that Chapman has only been responsible for two.

Just three pitchers have more blown saves than Hoffman’s seven, though it should be said that only three have notched more saves than Hoffman’s 30.

The Red Sox have the lowest bullpen ERA in the American League and it’s no coincidence that no major-league relief corps has given up fewer home runs. They’ve had allowed 41 round-trippers despite having pitched 4 2/3 fewer innings than Jays relievers, who have coughed up 62.

Things get worse when you look at the numbers over the last month. The Jays had a 4.94 bullpen ERA, the fifth-worst in the big leagues, from Aug. 1 to Sept. 1 and had as many blown saves (six) as saves. Jays relievers had also issued the most walks in the majors despite pitching the fourth-fewest innings.

Compare that to their AL East rivals. The Red Sox converted 10 saves and blew two. The New York Yankees bullpen has been a mess, with five saves against seven blown saves, but their relievers’ ERA (4.44) was a half-run better than the Jays’ number.

It’s not like the Jays bullpen doesn’t compare well to the Red Sox. Boston’s setup relievers Greg Weissert, Garrett Whitlock, Brennan Bernardino and Justin Slaten aren’t exactly established studs, and Chapman hasn’t had a save in the post-season since 2020.

The Yankees may be the bigger challenge. They beefed up at the deadline with Camilo Doval and David Bednar, who had been the closers on their old teams. Bednar has been very good, Doval has been awful. Closer Devin Williams was on a real hot streak in August before blowing the save at the White Sox on August 30. Luke Weaver remained unhittable, as he was last year, with a 1.23 August ERA.

We have seen Hoffman be great, likewise Yariel Rodriguez, who finally got back up to 97 on the radar gun during his two dominant innings Monday. Seranthony Dominguez has a 1.02 career ERA in the playoffs. Louis Varland had a 2.02 ERA when the Jays got him at the deadline.

The Jays relievers have it in them to be just as good as their rivals. But if they don’t start showing it soon, the division could easily slip away.