NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- Another rotation candidate is about to join the Marlins. Left-hander Jeff Locke has reached an agreement on a one-year contract, pending completion of his physical, MLB.com has confirmed.Locke, who had been with the Pirates since 2011, would become one of three left-handers in Miami's projected rotation. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports was first to report Locke's deal.
The Marlins and reliever Dustin McGowan have also agreed on a one-year deal, MLB Network Insider Jon Heyman reported Wednesday afternoon. The club has not confirmed the report.Locke is the second free-agent starter the Marlins have signed in the past two weeks. They previously added right-hander Edinson Volquez to a two-year, $22 million contract.Locke was 9-8 with a 5.44 ERA in 30 appearances (19 starts) in 2016. The 29-year-old struck out 73 in 127 1/3 innings.In Miami, Locke will be reuniting with Jim Benedict, the Marlins' vice president of pitching development. The two previously worked together in Pittsburgh.An All-Star in 2013, Locke was 10-7 with a 3.52 ERA that year. He has a 50.6 percent ground-ball rate over the past four seasons.Locke is primed to join fellow left-handers Adam Conley and Wei-Yin Chenin Miami's rotation. Volquez and Tom Koehler are the right-handers.McGowan, 34, went 1-3 with a 2.82 ERA in 67 innings for the Marlins last season. He recorded the third-lowest ERA on the team among those pitchers who threw at least 60 innings.McGowan has starting experience during his years with the Blue Jays. He will likely be used in multiple-inning relief situations.
