Jeff Locke not starting Sunday due to back tightness, will not pitch in All-Star Game - MLB

Pirates left-hander Jeff Locke felt some back tightness following his most recent start on Monday, so Michael Sanserino of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that he will not start tomorrow against the Mets and will also skip Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

Gerrit Cole will start in Locke’s place tomorrow. The good news is that the back issue isn’t considered serious and he should be good to go after the All-Star break. He isn’t slated to pitch again until July 21, so he’ll go 12 days between starts.

Locke has been a nice surprise for the Pirates this season, posting a 2.15 ERA and 73/47 K/BB ratio in 109 innings over 18 starts. The 25-year-old is on pace to easily surpass the 175 2/3 innings he threw between the majors and minors last year, so the back issue is a convenient way to get him some extra rest in preparation for what should be an interesting second half for Pittsburgh.

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins needs surgery for a torn ACL after injuring his left knee Thursday fielding a grounder in a spring training game and is expected to miss a significant amount of time.

The Phillies did not say when Hoskins would have the surgery or exactly how long the slugging first baseman might be sidelined.

Hoskins hit 30 homers with 79 RBIs last season for the reigning National League champions.

He was backing up to play a chopper on Thursday when the ball popped out of his glove. Sooner after, he fell to the ground and began clutching his left knee. Teammates gathered around him before he was taken off of the field.

Hoskins, a free agent at the end of the season who turned 30 last week, hit six homers in Philadelphia’s playoff run last season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series.

The injury was another blow for the Phillies, who will be without top pitching prospect Andrew Painter for another few weeks because of a sprained ligament in his right elbow. And slugger Bryce Harper isn’t expected back until around the All-Star break after undergoing Tommy John surgery in November.