Jeff Samardzija glad to remain in Chicago, isn't focused on free agency

Jeff Samardzija was the subject of numerous rumors during the month leading up to Friday’s non-waiver trade deadline.

When the dust settled, though, Samardzija didn’t end up going anywhere. The Sox let the free agent pitcher to-be remain on the roster for a postseason push during the season’s final two months.

“You go out and do your job every fifth day and there’s things you can’t control,” Samardzija said before Saturday’s game against the Yankees at U.S. Cellular Field. “You don’t worry about it. So nothing changes for me.”

Samardzija said he wouldn’t have preferred leaving for a contender and still believes the Sox have a run in them.

“We just need to go out and do what we’re capable of doing and that’ll take care of most of it,” he said. “I love this team and think we have a great group of guys and we just need to keep playing like we’ve been playing.”

The Sox acquired Samardzija in an offseason trade with one year remaining on his contract.

With two months left before he hits free agency, Samardzija said he hasn’t heard from the Sox about an extension and isn’t focused on it.

“It’s not for me to discuss,” he said. “That’s not up to me. It’s a front office call. If they want me around, they’ll come talk to me but right now we’re worried about playing baseball.”

Samardzija is 8-5 with a 3.94 ERA in 21 starts this season.