The Boston Red Sox get back to work tonight in Toronto after spending an off day north of the border on the heels of a brutal weekend in the sweltering Southwest heat.

By the time they landed in Canada, they no longer were in the American League wild-card lead, trailing the Texas Rangers after dropping 2 of 3 at Arlington.

In fact, a six-run ninth inning Friday prevented Boston from getting swept, so this could be a lot uglier.

Including tonight's game against the Blue Jays, the Red Sox have 45 games remaining, certainly plenty of time to make up a half-game deficit.

A veteran group, the Sox were quick to point out how much time remains after Sunday's loss.

"We should probably just pack up the season and call it a year, huh?" Jason Bay said to reporters in Arlington. "Half a game back, might as well fold the tent."

No one is suggesting the Sox fold the tent on the 2009 season.

The question is, are we watching a late-season fold from a team that once held a five-game lead in the division and arrived in Toronto 7 1/2 games back of the first-place Yankees?

Or is this a bump in the road for a team filled with veterans that will have to battle tooth and nail for its sixth postseason berth in seven years?

Bay was one of several players to tell reporters the players were fully confident in their ability to earn that playoff spot.

The good news is the Sox won't see the Rangers in the regular season again this year. Considering Boston lost seven of nine games against Texas, you can make that very good news.

The bad news is they still face a very tough schedule. Fourteen of the next 20 games are against playoff contenders, including a seven-game trip through Tampa Bay and Chicago to start the month of September.

The Sox have six games remaining against the Rays. They have lost eight of 12 games against Tampa this season.

The Rays, seemingly in free-fall after a five-game losing streak, are storming back into the picture. The defending AL champs began the work week just three games back of Boston.

Getting healthier undoubtedly will help the Sox.

Kevin Youkilis, leading the team in batting average and on-base percentage, returns from a five-game suspension tonight. Tim Wakefield is pitching in the minors trying to return this month.

J.D. Drew is nursing a sore groin. Daisuke Matsuzaka was expected to throw a bullpen session Monday.

If the Sox are going to remain in contention into October, they need their top-line players on the mound and in the field.

Are you confident the Sox can pull off a late-season run with the likes of Casey Kotchman, Brian Anderson and Junichi Tazawa?

All three played Sunday, with Kotchman and Anderson combining to go 1 for 6 and Tazawa taking the loss.

The dog days of August are here. The Sox are 28-33 on the road and will face Ricky Romero, Roy Halladay and Brett Cecil, a combined 28-11 this season, the next three nights at Rogers Centre.

With their comments on Sunday, the Sox made it clear they are not worried about the final seven weeks of the season.

At this point, I'm not sure you can say the same thing about Red Sox fans.

Tom Caron is the studio host for Red Sox broadcasts on the New England Sports Network. His column appears in the Press Herald on Tuesdays.