Tuesday starter Jeff Locke will be looking to post back-to-back quality starts for the first time since his first two games of the season. He beat the Marlins last August 6, limiting Florida to three earned runs in seven frames. He struck out seven and didn't allow a walk -- a huge key for the lefty. It might be wise for Locke to work around Giancarlo Stanton, who has two career dingers and is 6-for-12 against him.

Locke gave up three runs on seven hits over six innings Wednesday in an eventual 13-inning loss to the Twins. He struck out six and walked two. It's not an impressive outing, but hey, it's a quality start for Locke -- something he'd failed to achieve in four of his prior five turns. For fantasy purposes, at best he's a streaming option against bad offenses. His next time out, Locke draws a Marlins offense that's been struggling of late, but fantasy owners will want to see if those struggles persist for Miami before they commit to starting Locke.

Locke surrendered five earned runs in 3.2 innings Friday, allowing six hits and three walks while striking out four batters. He struggled tremendously with his command, throwing 102 pitches (56 for strikes) in less than four innings. Locke has given up 21 earned runs in 26 innings over his last five starts. The Pirates are likely to remove Vance Worley from the rotation when Charlie Morton returns -- which could happen in the next week, but Locke is making the decision tough for management.

Locke pitched 6.2 innings in Sunday's victory over the Cardinals but did not factor into the decision. He allowed three earned runs, five hits, and posted a 1:2 K:BB ratio in the game. Locke did not come away with a win Sunday, but he did enough to help his team accomplish that goal. Sunday's start was Locke's best since Apr. 18, but he has struggled a bit of late, allowing 16 earned runs in 22.1 innings (6.45 ERA) over his last four starts.

Locke gave up four earned runs on seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts over seven innings Tuesday against the Reds. A pair of homers sealed Locke's fate Tuesday -- the first long balls he has given up all season. Locke does not really have the stuff to get away with giving up 10 base-runners per start, and that's what he has been doing over his last three outings. He is in line to make his next start Sunday against the Cardinals.

Locke gave up five earned runs on eight hits and three walks in 3.2 innings Tuesday. He struck out five batters. The lefty threw a whopping 86 pitches (53 strikes) in less than four innings of work. He's faced Milwaukee twice and the Cubs twice. Not surprisingly, his work against the Brewers has turned out much more favorably.

Locke didn't receive a decision Thursday against the Cubs after allowing four runs in five innings. He gave up seven hits and three walks, but struck out seven. Locke had looked very good in his first two starts of the year, both against the Brewers, but the up-and-coming Cubs got to him for two in the first and another in the fourth, and then he was lucky to escape the fifth with relatively minimal damage after loading the bases and walking in a run. He'll have a rematch with opposing starter Kyle Hendricks in Wrigley on Tuesday.

Locke's scheduled start Friday has been moved to Saturday. Vance Worley will get the ball Friday instead so make sure Locke is not in any of your daily lineups Friday.

Locke turned in a solid performance Friday night, allowing two runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out two over six innings of a 6-2 win against the Brewers. Both teams entered the contest winless on the season, but Locke pitched well, tossing 62 of 90 pitches for strikes, while his mates provided adequate run support for him to log a win. He can be a little streaky and doesn't generally pile up strikeouts, but he can be a serviceable back-of-the-rotation fantasy arm when he's going good and throwing strikes.

Locke allowed three earned runs on four hits and one walk in five innings Friday. He struck out five batters in his final spring tuneup. He's scheduled to make his first regular-season start in Cincinnati on April 10, where he has a 0.93 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 19.1 IP.