A guessing game

The Marlins have not named Locke’s rotation replacement for their game Saturday against the Giants, and the upper levels of their farm system aren’t exactly bursting with options.

There are two starting pitchers on the 40-man roster not already in the majors: left-handers

and Nicolino was optioned to New Orleans on Saturday and needs to remain in the minors for at least 10 days, unless another player goes on the disabled list.

Conley, with a 6.10 ERA and 1.55 WHIP for New Orleans, has pitched “a lot of the same” in the minors as he did in the majors earlier this year, Mattingly said.

“He’s had a game here or a game there that’s been good, but the games have been pretty much and the stuff has been pretty much what we saw here,” Mattingly said.

Right-handers

Conley Adam Justin Nicolino. Odrisamer Despaigne Severino Gonzalez

and have worked mostly out of the bullpen of late, though Despaigne pitched as many as five innings as recently as Thursday.

Mattingly noted that lefthander out indefinitely with elbow trouble, is “not something that’s really even in the equation right now.”

Mattingly also didn’t guarantee that Saturday’s starter would get an extended look in the rotation.

Wei-Yin Chen,