Bad News, Good news. Bad news first.

The bad news: Boston is back down to 4 1/2 games behind division leading Tampa Bay Rays. The good news: They start 3-game series against statistically weaker team Toronto Blue Jays tonight. The bad news: Josh Beckett has been sidelined due to numbness in his right pinky and ring finger. The good news: It's nothing serious.

According to reports in the Boston Red Sox camp, Josh Beckett has been dealing with numbness in his pinky and ring finger of his right hand but trainers have stated that the acute numbness is simply from "sleeping on top of his arm." Manager Terry Francona stresses to the press that it is not symptoms of a blood clot or aneurysm. However, Francona also will not play Beckett until he is symptom free -just to play it safe- despite repeated pleas from Beckett. Beckett will be expected to start as early as this Saturday against the Blue Jays. Tonight, at 7:07 EDT, Paul Bird (Sox) starts opposite Shaun Marcum.