Andy Pettitte has a simulated game scheduled for Wednesday afternoon at Fenway, and he could be back by next week, which could help solidify a shaky rotation that can do without Freddie Garcia and David Phelps.

Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine was asked before the game whether he, being out of the race, would treat games against contenders any differently than other games.

All you can do is shake your head at such a question. The Sox are just trying to win a game against anyone, period. The lowly Jays just swept them.

With their Triple A lineup, the Sox might have problems beating their Pawtucket affiliate, which is currently in the International League playoffs. Don’t think they can pick and choose which series they can turn it up a notch.

Beating the Yankees is really all they have left.

Don’t know if they did it subconsciously in Tuesday’s game, but the Yankees can’t look past the fact that the Red Sox are struggling. The Yankees likely realize after this loss that they can’t throw their gloves out there and win, though most teams since Aug. 1 have been able to do that against the Sox, who had won only 10 of their last 27 games before Tuesday.

The Yankees have to be happy they’re playing the Red Sox. But they can’t be too giddy.

Every once in a while, the underdog, the team nobody thinks can win, rises up.