With Dustin Pedroia out of the Red Sox lineup for the third straight game, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski offered a bleak if at least honest review of Pedroia’s sore left knee.

“Well, I mean, he’s not playing,” Dombrowski said. “Any time a guy’s not playing you’re concerned.”

The second baseman, one of only two Sox regulars with an OPS above .691 in July, had offseason surgery to clean up the meniscus in his left knee and was expected to make a full recovery. He’s been having a Pedroia-like season, hitting .307 with a .791 OPS. In July, he hit .337 with a .903 OPS.

Despite his success while playing through continued discomfort in that knee, it’s worsened due to overusage in recent weeks, manager John Farrell said. A stint on the disabled list is possible.

“We’re in the process of gathering a little bit more information,” Farrell said. “He’s going to be seen again (by an unnamed specialist) tomorrow. The improvement that’s being made is slight at this time.”

Looking ahead, Dombrowski said this injury will be something Pedroia always has to deal with.

“I’m concerned to the extent he’s not in the lineup,” Dombrowski said. “I think that he will be back relatively soon, what that is I’m not really sure. The problem for Dustin is and will be, he has a bad knee. He’s had it for years. He’s going to have to deal with that and he does. He works very hard. The training staff works very hard on it. John works with him and tries to give him days when he needs to. That’s something we’re going to have to deal with for extended time periods.

“I don’t know if there’s a specific event this time that hurt him a little bit more than others, but he has a bad knee that he’s going to have to watch and we’re going to have to watch for the rest of his career.”

Nunez batting third

Pedroia’s absence pushed newcomer Eduardo Nunez into duty at second base in the series opener against the Cleveland Indians, and, with his hot, three-game start, he was batting third.

“Well, Eduardo Nunez has stepped in here and swung the bat well,” Farrell said. “Put the name next to that person coming in and three games the way he’s swung the bat, he’s performed as good as anyone could have. So we have made an addition where his energy and his contributions have been felt quickly.

“But you know, this goes back to the guys that have been here and are here that we need to get back on track. We’ve talked about the names here over the past week or so. We’ve got a talented group and the way we’re built, not by a one swing of the bat type of offense, we’re reliant on guys up and down the lineup and we need for a little bit more consistent contribution.

“When we have three, four, five guys that are scuffling at once, that’s felt and it’s been felt.”

Devers moves up

Rafael Devers, who has two home runs in a 6-for-20 start to his big league career, was moved up to sixth in the order.

“His 25 or so at-bats that he’s had for us have been impressive,” Farrell said. “He’s been balanced, he’s been under control, he’s been calm, he’s shown power, he’s shown good plate discipline.

“So, again, slot him up two, three spots and take a different look.”

Devers made his debut hitting ninth and has hit there in four of his five games. He’s also hit eighth.

Benintendi sits

Andrew Benintendi was out despite the Indians throwing a right-hander in Mike Clevinger. The lefty-hitting Benintendi typically only sits against lefties.

Brock Holt was in left field and hitting second. Benintendi is hitting .157 with a .467 OPS in his last 22 games.

“Trying to give him some time, trying to get some timing a little bit more consistent,” Farrell said. “The work with (hitting coach Chili Davis) to get back to production that he was, particularly against right-handers. That’s where his damage has been, and yet that’s been a little bit absent of late.

“Had a chance to sit and talk with him for a while. It’s not physical. You’ve got to keep in mind, this is his second year in pro baseball and his first at the major league level. There’s going to be some bumps along the way. There’s going to be some ebbs and flows. We’re trying to work through that right now.” . . .

Reliever Joe Kelly (hamstring) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session and will begin a rehab assignment in Triple-A Pawtucket tomorrow. . . .

Lefty reliever Robbie Scott was optioned out to Pawtucket before the game to make room for righty Austin Maddox.