Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell gets knocked off-balance as he doubles up the Yankees’ Bobby Abreu on a ball hit by Jason Giambi in the sixth inning yesterday at Fenway Park.

The Providence Journal / Gretchen Ertl

BOSTON — Red Sox fans were able to take a deep breath yesterday because Manny Ramirez was back in the lineup.

He played left field and batted fourth, going 0-for-4 with a fielder’s choice and a double-play grounder

“Don’t even worry guys,” he said to a group of reporters waiting to talk with him prior to the game, “I’m not talking, I’m playing.”

With that, he walked over to the board where the lineup is posted, saw his name and walked back across the clubhouse.

“My name is in the lineup,” he said again. “I’m playing.”

Not only could fans celebrate the slugger’s return, but the players in the clubhouse were also pleased to see Ramirez back in his customary cleanup spot in the order.

From the outside, anyone could think Ramirez’s action the last couple of days would be a distraction, but players don’t seem to think so.

“I don’t know,” said Mike Lowell. “That’s a great question for Manny.”

“Whatever is going on, we still have our job to do,” said catcher Kevin Cash. “Obviously, everyone in here wants Manny to play. He’s as big a part of this deal as anybody. The Red Sox have always shown the ability to handle distractions. If we came out and won these first two games, then there’s probably nothing being said.”

There was a rumor spreading around Fenway Park yesterday that GM Theo Epstein said he would entertain the possibility of trading Ramirez before Thursday’s deadline.

It’s unlikely that will happen, and to this point no other club has contacted the Red Sox about a possible deal.

The Red Sox have a $20-million club option on Ramirez and have until November to decide whether or not to pick up that option. Plus, Ramirez is a 10/5 guy (a 10-year player/five years with the same team) and he would have to waive that status if the club wanted to move him.

Not talking specifically about any rumor, Lowell addressed the fact that any relationship, in general, can sour.

“Relationships run their course in every scope of life,” he said. “Not just on a baseball team, or in a clubhouse, but I haven’t really heard anything to that effect. I’ve got to believe that with that wonderful contract he signed that he has a no-trade clause. He has the ultimate say, doesn’t he?”

Red Sox manager Terry Francona said he and Ramirez agreed late Friday night that he would play yesterday. The manager said Ramirez’s right knee is fine.

Sean McAdam reported in yesterday’s Journal that if Ramirez did not agree to play in Game Two of this series against the Yankees, then there would be disciplinary action taken against the slugger.

When Francona was asked about that situation yesterday afternoon, he wouldn’t get into it.

“My responsibility is to put the ball club first,” said Francona. “How we handle disciplinary issues has got to remain internal. That will never change.”

Both Friday and yesterday Francona has been careful choosing his words in regards to Ramirez. In the end, however, the manager said these things happen during the progression of a long season.

“We have run into bumps in the road ever since I’ve been here (2004),” he said. “There’s been some before I’ve been here. The result — two of the times — have been World Series rings. As a team, sometimes you fight through things and sometimes you work through things. It’s not always perfect, but how you get to the end is what counts. That’s what we’re tying to do.

“It’s not always perfect,” added the manager. “The idea is to get better when you through some times that maybe aren’t perfect, it’s how you come through it that is ultimately important. I’m hopeful it will be the same way this time.”

Ramirez took the Red Sox by surprise last Wednesday in Seattle when he informed the manager that he could not play due to a sore right knee. The Sox had Thursday off, but he did not seek treatment. When the clubhouse opened on Friday, Ramirez was originally in the lineup for Game One of this series against the Yankees.

Again, Ramirez told Francona he couldn’t play. That prompted a closed-door meeting with Ramirez, Francona, management and ownership. Ramirez was then sent to the hospital for an MRI on both knees, which both came back negative.

“There were some misunderstandings this week,” said Francona. “There’s no way of getting around that. It doesn’t mean he’s a bad person. We expect a lot and, when things don’t go right, we try to make them right.”

During batting practice yesterday, Ramirez spent a few minutes talking with the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez next to the cage. A few other Yankee players came over and shook hands with the Red Sox slugger.

A light-hearted moment

Even though Francona has taken the situation with Ramirez seriously, the manager was able to find a little humor in it all and provided the line of the day.

Francona left Fenway Park Friday night/Saturday morning and got home at 5 a.m. He picked up his 14-year-old daughter, Jamie, and took her to the airport for an early morning flight.

“It was quarter to six and I told her ‘You’ve got a lot of nerve, I’ve got to get Manny Ramirez in the lineup, and you’ve got a lot of nerve being a 14-year-old.’ ”

When asked what was a more difficult situation to deal with, Francona had some fun with the question.

“I pled the eighth,” he said. “The seventh, eighth or ninth, whatever.”

Masterson’s off the mark

Red Sox’ new starter-turned-reliever Justin Masterson struggled in his second appearance out of the bullpen. The right-hander faced three Yankee batters in the sixth inning and surrendered one run on three hits. It was much different than his relief debut last Wednesday in Seattle where he worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out three.

“It seemed like he was getting under more pitches,” said Francona of Masterson’s outing. “Obviously (in Seattle) he had a lot of swings and misses. (Yesterday) instead of sinking, the ball was going up, so it really flattens it out.”

Drew stays in a groove

The lone offensive bright spot for the Red Sox yesterday was J.D. Drew’s solo blast in the sixth inning. He now has two home runs in the last four games and five homers and 13 RBI in his last 22. The ball he hit yesterday off Yankee starter Andy Pettitte was crushed. The ball landed well beyond the Sox’ bullpen and about 20 rows up in the bleachers.

“He took one of the prettiest swings you’ll ever see,” said Francona. “Other than that we didn’t have a whole lot going.”

The Sox combined for a total of six hits yesterday with Drew’s homer as the only extra-base hit in the last two games.

jmcdonal@projo.com