Manny Ramirez jokes with Yankee players during batting practice yesterday.

The Providence Journal / Gretchen Ertl

BOSTON — Manny isn’t the Red Sox’ only problem.

Ramirez, doing a better job of wearing out his welcome in Boston than wearing out opposing pitchers, was back in the lineup yesterday afternoon, a day after being threatened with disciplinary action if he didn’t play.

His presence was hardly inspiring, as Manny went 0-for-4 — although he did drive in a run while grounding out in the first inning — as the slumping Sox were trounced by the streaking Bronx Bombers in an embarrassing 10-3 rout.

While Ramirez returned to left field, rookie center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was on the bench with the Yankees’ ace lefty, Andy Pettite, on the mound.

Ellsbury, a sensation when he was called up last September and hit .353, then batted .438 in the Sox’ sweep of Colorado in the World Series, is hitting only .204 (28-for-137) over the last 32 games, with only five RBI in his last 40 games, and one home run in his last 52.

Playing center field was Coco Crisp, who was 3-for-31 in his last 12 games and proceeded to go 0-for-4 yesterday, with two strikeouts, one of them looking.

Things aren’t looking too good for the Sox, who, after being in first place at the All-Star break, now are in danger of slipping into third.

Nearly invincible at home for the last three months, the Sox have lost two in a row at not-quite-so-friendly Fenway, after having won 7 of 8, 8 of 10, and 27 of 34 in Boston before the Yankees came to town.

They’re 3-5 since the All-Star break, while the Yanks are 8-0. New York has also beaten the Sox in their last four meetings. The Yanks, who strengthened themselves for the stretch run in a deal completed yesterday morning with Pittsburgh for outfielder Xavier Nady and lefty reliever Damaso Marte, are now even with Boston in the loss column at 45, and have two fewer wins (58, to Sox’ 60) heading into tonight’s series finale

The Sox aren’t hitting, and their bullpen continues to be erratic.

After being whitewashed on six hits Friday night, Boston had only six again yesterday, without getting more than one in any inning.

That’s not good, especially when your pitching is bad, as it was yesterday.

Knuckleballing veteran Tim Wakefield failed for the first time since May 23 to make it through the sixth inning, which was when New York blew the game open against Justin Masterson.

Brought up from Pawtucket to bolster the bullpen, Masterson failed to retire a batter, giving up hits to Derek Jeter, Bobby Abreu and Alex Rodriguez.

Craig Hansen, who came on in the eighth, loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batsman — A-Rod, bringing cheers from the callous Boston crowd — then proceeded to walk Jason Giambi to force in New York’s eighth run and gave up a double off the left-field wall to Robinson Cano, pushing the Bronx Bombers’ run total into double digits and boosting his bloated earned-run average to 5.90.

Meanwhile, the Yankees, after a dominating pitching performances Friday night by Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera, gave Andy Pettitte plenty of support as he became only the third lefty starter to beat Boston since April 24.

And then there’s the matter of Manny, who said he couldn’t play Wednesday night in Seattle, and then surprised manager Terry Francona — who penciled him into the cleanup spot in the batting order Friday night — by announcing his knee was still too sore to play even though he hadn’t shown up for treatment Thursday, when the Sox were off.

The Battle of Wounded Knee is only the latest episode in what, even by the bizarre measuring standards applied to Manny, has been a strange year.

He has slapped first baseman Kevin Youkilis in the dugout, pushed 64-year-old traveling secretary Jack McCormick in the clubhouse, and angered team owner John Henry by claiming the team has been less than forthright with him regarding its plans for his future.

Manny’s future in Boston doesn’t look bright.

Lest we forget, Ramirez was placed on irrevocable waivers after the 2003 season but went unclaimed — raising the question of why, if nobody wanted him for $20 million a year five years ago, teams would be eager to shell out that kind of money now, given that Manny will be 37 next May and can be as big a headache for his own club as to opposing pitchers.

The veteran Wakefield said he couldn’t worry about Manny.

“I can’t care whether Manny’s playing or not,” he said. “Whether he’s in the lineup or not, I have to take care of myself. It doesn’t affect us at all.”

It’s hard to say — and Red Sox won’t — exactly what effect Manny’s disruptive behavior has on the team.

“You go through some times that maybe aren’t perfect,” Francona said before yesterday’s game. “It’s how you come through them that is ultimately important.

“We’ve run into bumps in the road ever since I’ve been here. The result — two of the times — has been World Series rings. I’m hopeful it will be the same way this time.”

Manny is expected to play again tonight, extending his consecutive games streak to two — just 2,630 shy of Cal Ripken’s major-league record.

jdonalds@projo.com