Bucs designate Locke for assignment

PITTSBURGH — Jeff Locke’s time with the Pirates came to an end Tuesday night, as the veteran left-hander was designated for assignment. Pittsburgh bumped Locke off its 40-man roster to make room for the signing of right-hander Lisalverto Bonilla.

If Locke isn’t traded or signed elsewhere, he will be non-tendered before Friday’s 11:59 p.m. ET deadline, making him a free agent. The 29-year-old was eligible for salary arbitration for the second year, and was projected to make $4.2 million next season, according to MLB Trade Rumors. After struggling through this past season, Locke was left without a clear spot in the Pirates’ rotation or bullpen going forward.

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General manager Neal Huntington admitted it was a difficult call to cut ties with Locke, especially as the Bucs search for pitching help this offseason.

“We are talking about needing starting pitching, and Jeff has been at various points — probably more than he gets credit for — a solid Major League starting pitcher,” Huntington said. “Unfortunately, it’s not the first guy we’ve had to make a tough decision on as they go through the arbitration process. Unfortunately, he’s probably not going to be the last.”

Acquired along with Charlie Morton and Gorkys Hernandez in the June 2009 trade that sent Nate McLouth to the Braves, Locke leaves the Pirates with a career 35-38 record and 4.41 …

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