Sat 3/23/13 5:51 PM

Jeff Locke allowed three runs -- two earned -- and seven hits in four innings against Boston on Saturday. It was hardly Locke's best outing of the spring, but it should have kept him ahead of Kyle McPherson in the rotation battle after McPherson gave up eight earned runs last time out. Locke seems like the obvious choice to fill in until Francisco Liriano is ready.