LHP Jeff Locke (biceps tendinitis) hopes to return by late April.

LHP Jeff Locke is battling shoulder discomfort and as a result hasn't pitched since Sept. 10, but says he's ready to return to action. Locke threw 74 pitches in an outing Sept. 4 and 39 in his next outing. His shoulder didn't respond as it normally would but expanded rosters allowed Locke to avoid a trip to the disabled list, he said. Locke is 9-8 with a 5.49 ERA in 29 appearances (19 starts) this season.

LHP Jeff Locke struggled out of the bullpen Monday after starter Chad Kuhl went just two innings. Locke, who started the season in the rotation, gave up seven runs (four earned) on five hits in three innings, with two walks and two strikeouts.

LHP Jeff Locke (9-8) threw 76 pitches through four innings of relief work. He allowed two runs and seven hits while striking out two and walking two. "He pushed everything he had in there," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "Gutsy, yes. He kept battling and fighting and trying to find outs."

LHP Jeff Locke was knocked out Wednedsay after 4 1/3 innings. He allowed five runs on nine hits and two walks, with only one strikeout. The outing put Locke's spot in the rotation in jeopardy but manager Clint Hurdle would not say after the game if Locke would take his regular turn.

LHP Jeff Locke, who pitched two scoreless inning in his lone outing after being sent to the bullpen, returns to the rotation Wednesday to face the Braves in Atlanta. He was 8-6 as a starter before being losing his starting job, but he had a 5.67 ERA. Locke is 2-2 with a 4.89 ERA in seven career starts against the Braves, the team that drafted him. He worked seven innings in an 8-2 victory over the Braves in Pittsburgh on May 19.

LHP Jeff Locke (8-6, 5.43 ERA) will return to the Pirates' rotation to face the Braves on Wednesday night.

LHP Jeff Locke's turn in the rotation is being skipped this week. Manager Clint Hurdle said Locke will be available out of the bullpen through the weekend.

LHP Jeff Locke still can't seem to get in a groove, leaving Wednesday after lasting three-plus innings -- giving up five runs, seven hits and walking five. "It was just control -- he was behind in counts, and he'll be the first to tell you he walked too many guys," shortstop Jordy Mercer said. "When you walk guys and they get a big hit, that can hurt you in a hurry."

LHP Jeff Locke makes an important start Wednesday against Milwaukee. Locke (8-5) is 3-0 in his last four starts and 7-2 in his last 10, but he has a 5.26 ERA. He also has yielded 27 earned runs in his last 31 1/3 innings. He's also hearing rumors that he's on the trading block as the trading deadline approaches.

LHP Jeff Locke is slated to start Tuesday against Milwaukee. He is 8-5 with a 5.26 ERA this year. He is 5-5 with a 3.76 ERA in 13 career starts against the Brewers.

LHP Jeff Locke left trailing 5-1 after four innings, but escaped with a no-decision as Pittsburgh s offense and its bullpen keyed a rally that led to a win. Locke gave up eight hits and five runs, walking one and fanning three. Locke gave up six singles in the fourth inning, three off first pitches as St. Louis attacked him early in the count. He's only 2-4 in 10 career starts against the Cardinals.

LHP Jeff Locke gets the start Wednesday night when Pittsburgh continues its four-game set in St. Louis. Locke is coming off a 7-3 win Friday night in Oakland, where he worked five innings, allowing three hits and three runs with three walks and three strikeouts. He is 2-4 with a 4.04 ERA in nine career starts against the Cardinals, going six innings on May 7 and allowing three runs in a no-decision.

LHP Jeff Locke (8-5) allowed three runs on three hits over five innings and extended his winning streak to three games with a 7-3 victory against the A's. He struck out three, walked three and threw 95 pitches. In his previous two starts, Locke went 2-0 with a 0.66 ERA, six strikeouts and zero walks. He wasn't nearly that sharp against Oakland, but he blanked the A's for his final three innings. "You can't quit out there," Locke said. "There's definitely been times in my career where I felt like I quit. Now that I'm older and matured a little bit more, you got to keep going until the manager comes and takes it from you, because the guys behind you aren't going to quit. You got to keep going. You want to be someone that can be relied on."

LHP Jeff Locke bounced back from two of his worst outings of the season to post two of his best. Locke, who is scheduled to start Friday's series opener in Oakland, has held his last two opponents to one run off 10 hits over 13 2/3 combined innings. He will be making his second start of the season against an AL West team, having beaten the Angels 8-7 on June 4.

LHP Jeff Locke didn't overpower the Dodgers, but frustrated them by pounding the zone with his fastball and changeup through seven innings. Locke finished with just three strikeouts but pitched efficiently, and used 43 pitches to get through the first four innings. After allowing seven runs to the New York Mets on June 15, Locke has been dominant in his past two starts by surrendering one run in 13 2/3 innings pitched. "He's feeling it and he's in it," Hurdle said. "No walks, again. Three strikeouts. It's really good stuff."

LHP Jeff Locke improved to 6-5 Monday by holding San Francisco to no runs on five hits over 6 2/3 innings, with three strikeouts and no walks. That came after he had gotten rocked in his previous two starts. The cherry on top was that he outdueled Giants starter Madison Bumgarner, one of the top pitchers in the game.

LHP Jeff Locke (5-5, 5.92 ERA) makes his 14th start of the season on Monday against the Giants as the Pirates return home to open an eight-game home stand. He allowed seven runs in four-plus innings and lost an 11-2 decision in his last start last Wednesday against the Mets. Locke has lost his last two starts after winning his previous four.

LHP Jeff Locke looks to bounce back from the worst start of his career when he takes the mound for the Pirates on Wednesday night in the middle contest of a three-game series against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Locke took the loss Thursday when he gave up 11 runs on 11 hits and three walks while striking out two over 4 2/3 innings as the Pirates fell to the Colorado Rockies 11-5. The runs allowed set a careermhigh for Locke while the hits allowed tied a high set twice earlier. Locke is 0-1 with a 4.20 ERA in three career starts against the Mets.

LHP Jeff Locke (5-3), who has won his last four decisions, will travel ahead of the team to prepare for his Thursday start against the Rockies. The Pirates will play the makeup game in Denver in the middle of a six-game homestand against the Mets and Cardinals.