--OF Brian Giles officially vetoed a waiver trade deal that would have sent the 37-year-old lefty swinger to the Red Sox as a bit of offensive insurance. The Sox could have brought the Padres outfielder into the fold as insurance for any key pieces of the offense missing time with injury, but the two-time All-Star is said to be very comfortable in the quiet baseball environment in San Diego. "I signed a three-, possibly four-year deal here. I'm committed to fulfill that contract. If next year doesn't work out with the option, I'll be a free agent and I can choose where I go," Giles told reporters on Friday. While the Sox will certainly continue to scour the trade waiver wires for potential help in the outfield, it remains to be seen how many players will manage to pass through waivers.
--RHP David Aardsma was, as expected, activated from the 15-day disabled list prior to Friday night's game against the White Sox. The hard-throwing righty was placed on the DL on July 20 with a right groin strain. Aardsma pitched two scoreless innings in two relief appearances on rehab assignment at Class AAA Pawtucket from August 3-6. He is 3-2 with a 2.75 earned run average in 38 relief appearances with Boston this season. Aardsma takes the roster spot of RHP Chris Smith, who was optioned to Pawtucket after Wednesday's game. --1B Kevin Youkilis was back in the Sox starting lineup and seemed no worse for the wear after suffering a bruised right hand when he was hit by a pitch Wednesday night in Kansas City. Youkilis said there was slight swelling in the wrist area, and that he didn't even have to apply ice to the hand on Thursday. Youkilis was back in the cleanup spot for the Sox Friday night, but went 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts in a road loss in Chicago.
--OF Jason Bay has started his Red Sox career off with a seven-game hitting streak, and is hitting at an impressive .400 (12-for-30) over that span. The last midseason acquisition by the Red Sox to start their Boston career with a hitting streak of six games or more was Hall of Fame 3B George Kell. Kell had a hit in his first 10 games with the Red Sox after being acquired from Detroit on June 3, 1952. Bay has given the Sox an athletic, willing power bat in the middle of their order, and the 29-year-old could conceivably fill out the cleanup slot at some point this season.
--2B Dustin Pedroia extended his current hitting streak to eight games (11-for-35) during which he's hit at a .314 clip, and also extended his road hitting streak to an amazing 27 games with a three-run homer in the top of the eighth inning of Friday's loss. Pedroia also set a new career high with his 10th home run of the season, a testament to the strength and training work the second baseman did in the off-season to improve his overall power production.
BY THE NUMBERS: .808 -- LHP Jon Lester's winning percentage through Aug. 3, which was the highest in major league history for a pitcher with at least 20 wins.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Boston is in the past. Every time people ask me about Boston, I put my brain on pause." -- LF Manny Ramirez, during his initial press conference with the Dodgers.
