After a nasty split with the Boston Red Sox, Manny Ramirez is Hollywood-bound.

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired the enigmatic slugger yesterday, giving up two minor leaguers in a startling, three-team trade that sent outfielder Jason Bay from Pittsburgh to Boston.

The Dodgers also received cash considerations, general manager Ned Colletti said, in a deal that was completed just before the 4 p.m. EDT deadline for making trades without waivers.

The Red Sox will pay the estimated $7 million owed to Ramirez through the end of the season, at which time he can become a free agent. Ramirez was in the final guaranteed year of an eight-year, $160 million contract, and the Red Sox held $20 million options for the next two seasons.

As part of the trade, the club options were eliminated.

So when all was said and done, the Dodgers picked up a summer rental they hope will give them a shot at improving upon a woeful postseason track record in the past 20 years. Since winning the 1988 World Series, they've made just four playoff appearances and won only one postseason game.

"We figured we had to do it," Colletti said. "There was obviously a point in time that you have to make a major decision. We did and we were glad we did it. Hopefully it pays dividends."

Ramirez brings a .299 batting average with 20 homers and 68 RBIs this season to the Dodgers.

In return, the Red Sox got the 29-year-old Bay, a two-time All-Star who was hitting .282 with 22 home runs and 64 RBIs for Pittsburgh. Tampa Bay pursued Bay before he wound up with the Red Sox, who trail the first-place Rays by three games in the AL East.

The last-place Pirates, looking for young talent, received reliever Craig Hansen and outfielder Brandon Moss from Boston and third baseman Andy LaRoche and pitcher Bryan Morris from the Dodgers. LaRoche, Moss and Hansen will join Pittsburgh, while Morris will go to Class A Hickory.

WHITE SOX

ACQUIRE GRIFFEY JR. FOR AL CENTRAL STRETCH RUN

Ken Griffey Jr. is leaving home in hopes of a pennant.

The Chicago White Sox acquired Griffey from the Cincinnati Reds yesterday, hoping the 38-year-old outfielder can help them hold onto their slim lead in the AL Central.

The Reds sent Griffey and cash to Chicago for reliever Nick Masset and Triple-A second baseman Danny Richar. The deal was announced a half-hour before the 4 p.m. EDT deadline to make trades without waivers.

Griffey, who has 608 career home runs, agreed to the trade earlier in the day. Because of the cash transaction involved, the deal did not become official until the commissioner's office approved it.

White Sox general manager Kenny Williams coveted Griffey for several years. Once one of baseball's premier players, Griffey has never reached the World Series and has not even been in the playoffs since 1997 with Seattle.

"One of the things that factored into this was a guy who has had a great career but has not won a championship and how motivated he's going to be to get on that stage," Williams said. "That is a factor and will always be a factor for me."

Griffey takes over for Nick Swisher, who moves to first base in place of the slumping Paul Konerko. Swisher also will give up his No. 30 to Griffey, who wore it during his earliest years in Cincinnati.

"I just think there's a lot of added things he can bring," Swisher said. "I mean, I had posters of that guy on my wall growing up. So I think it's going to be an awesome thing for all of us."