(Sports Network) - At least for one week, no Manny Ramirez has been no problem for the Boston Red Sox.

Since bidding the perennial All-Star slugger adieu with a jettisoning to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the final minutes prior to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, Boston has ripped off five victories in six games to strengthen its position in the American League playoff race. Granted, those wins came at the expense of the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals -- hardly the cream of the AL crop -- but it's still a very encouraging performance by a team that limped into August with five losses over its previous six outings.

While it was expected that the Red Sox wouldn't greatly miss Ramirez in the clubhouse -- the enigmatic left fielder had been a constant distraction over the last month because of an ongoing contract dispute with upper management -- just about everybody figured Boston's offense wouldn't be the same without his devastating bat situated in the middle of the lineup.

The early returns confirm the notion that the offense hasn't been the same without Ramirez. Statistically, the Red Sox have been better.

Boston racked up a healthy 38 runs over its six games against the A's and Royals (an average of 6.3 per contest) while batting .303 as a unit during that successful stretch. Prior to the Ramirez trade, the Red Sox averaged 4.9 runs scored per game.

In the meantime, Jason Bay has done a pretty good Manny impersonation (as a hitter) since coming over to the Red Sox from Pittsburgh as part of last week's blockbuster three-team deal. The new Boston left fielder has gone 11- for-23 (.423) at the plate and hit safely in all six games following the trade, while scoring 10 times and knocking in six runs.

During his second game in a Sox uniform, Bay cracked a three-run homer over the Fenway Park Green Monster to spearhead a 12-2 rout of Oakland last Saturday. A few days later, the native Canadian went 4-for-5 with two doubles and a pair of RBI during an 8-2 victory at Kansas City.

Despite moving into the pressure-cooker that is Boston after toiling the previous four years in relative obscurity with the Pirates, Bay's numbers indicate he's been quite comfortable with his new surroundings. The 29-year- old also remarked that he's had little trouble fitting in with his new teammates.

"I'm sure the hits help," Bay joked after Tuesday's win over the Royals. "You get a few hits and you feel a little more welcome. Two, three and four games doesn't make a season just yet, but it's a good start."

The question is, can Bay and the Boston offense keep it up?

The Red Sox are hoping the Ramirez situation turns out similar to what occurred in 2004, when general manager Theo Epstein made the controversial move of dealing away another franchise icon, shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, at the trade deadline as part of a complex four-team swap.

That bold venture clearly paid off for Boston, which went 42-18 from August 1 to the end of the regular season and followed with a memorable October run that resulted in the franchise's first world championship in 86 years.

GILES NOT ON BOARD

Epstein had further wheeling and dealing in mind even after the standard deadline passed, as the Red Sox official web site reported on Friday that the team put in a waiver claim on San Diego Padres outfielder Brian Giles earlier in the week.

Giles won't be switching teams, however, as the veteran exercised his right to block the potential move. The 37-year-old has a partial no-trade clause in his contract, with the Red Sox one of the teams he could veto a deal to.

The move is being viewed as more of a defensive one by Boston, since the club is very deep at the outfield positions with Bay, right fielder J.D. Drew, center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and top reserve Coco Crisp. The Sox also don't have a need at designated hitter with David Ortiz around.

Epstein may have put in the claim in order to prevent another team -- probably current AL East leader Tampa Bay -- from working out a potential trade for Giles.

INJURY REPORT

The Red Sox received quite a scare during the opening inning of Wednesday's 8-2 win over Kansas City, as standout first baseman Kevin Youkilis was struck on the right hand by a fastball from the Royals' Luke Hochevar. The All-Star and fan favorite was removed from the contest shortly afterward, but received good news when x-rays later revealed only a bruise.

Youkilis, who has taken over as Boston's cleanup hitter following Ramirez's departure, is hopeful he'll be able to go when the Red Sox begin a weekend series in Chicago on Friday.

Ortiz, who missed nearly two months with a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist before returning in late July, revealed to the Boston Herald on Tuesday that he felt a "click" in the wrist during his final at-bat of Monday's game with the Royals. The feared designated hitter was back in the lineup for the final two tests of the series, however.

The lingering injury does provide an explanation for Ortiz's recent slump. He's gone just 3-for-25 over his last six games and has homered only once in 48 at-bats since being activated from the disabled list.

WHO'S HOT

Jon Lester kept his remarkable winning streak going when the emerging ace held the Athletics to two runs over seven innings in Saturday's 12-2 victory. Lester has now ripped off seven straight winning decisions and hasn't lost since May 25, a span of 11 consecutive starts. Over his last five outings, the 24-year-old is 4-0 with a 2.15 earned run average and worked at least seven innings each time.

Youkilis brought a 12-game hitting streak into Wednesday's matchup and batted .352 (19-for-54) with three home runs during the tear. He's homered five times in 62 at-bats following the All-Star break.

WHO'S NOT

Third baseman Mike Lowell is hitting just .181 (13-for-72) with no home runs and six RBI in his 17 games since the break. The normally-steady veteran's lack of production can be attributed to a right hip flexor injury he's been fighting through since July.

Starting pitcher Clay Buchholz's struggles continued in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to Kansas City, in which he allowed four runs and walked three batters in six innings. The rookie right-hander has now lost five consecutive decisions and is 0-4 with a 6.59 ERA in five starts since being recalled from the minors in mid-July.

SHOWDOWN BETWEEN SOX

The Red Sox continue their Midwest swing with a key four-game wraparound series with the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox that begins on Friday. Boston will enter the set trailing Tampa Bay by 2 1/2 games in the AL East race, while the White Sox currently hold a mere half-game edge on Minnesota in the Central.

Lester (10-3, 3.14) will try to keep his awesome run going in Friday's opener, with crafty southpaw Mark Buehrle (8-10, 4.07) set to go for Chicago. Daisuke Matsuzaka (12-2, 3.04) and White Sox veteran Jose Contreras (7-6, 4.60) will go head-to-head on Saturday, while Buchholz (2-7, 5.98) gets another chance for redemption in Sunday's tilt. Gavin Floyd (11-6, 3.66) will pitch for the ChiSox.

Josh Beckett (10-8, 4.08) gets the call for Boston in Monday's finale, with Chicago countering with talented youngster John Danks (9-4, 3.21).