NL West Notes: Jeff Samardzija clears waivers, Jhoulys Chacin’s success

There isn’t much time left to make trades this month, but veteran right-hander Jeff Samardzija has cleared waivers and can be dealt, according to FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman.

Still, Samardzija is a fairly expensive starting pitching option, and his contract includes a partial no-trade clause.

Contending teams might target Samardzija as a back-end starting candidate, though he isn’t having as much success as he did in 2016. Over 167.2 innings this season, he’s pitched to a 4.67 ERA and 3.52 FIP.

Samardzija is signed through 2020, which could make a deal difficult to complete.

Here’s the latest from around the National League West.

• Jhoulys Chacin has had a solid season with the Padres, and most interestingly, his success has come in San Diego.
• Arizona has had a solid starting rotation this season, but is it among the best Diamondbacks staffs ever?
• Tyler Anderson returned to the mound, which is good news for Rockies fans.
• The Dodgers and Diamondbacks face off in a series that has significant implications for Arizona.
• Do you want to see the Giants pass the Padres in the standings, or does it not matter?