The Milwaukee Brewers placed right-hander Shaun Marcum on trade waivers Tuesday, thinking strategically as the deadline for setting postseason rosters looms at midnight Friday ET.

Marcum’s next start, Thursday afternoon at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs, will take place shortly after his waiver period expires that day at 1 p.m. ET. He has pitched only once since missing more than two months with right elbow tightness, allowing four runs (zero earned) in five innings last Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

If Marcum is claimed, the Brewers will have nearly 36 hours to negotiate a trade with the claiming team. If he clears, they will have the same amount of time to discuss Marcum with multiple clubs, possibly enabling them to get a stronger return.

Marcum, 30, might clear — a team that claims him would risk assuming the remainder of his salary, which would be slightly less than $1.6 million on Thursday, while seeing him only pitch once since coming off the DL.

But the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are looking for starting pitching, are one team that could place a claim on Marcum — they do not figured to be deterred by $1.6 million after absorbing more than $250 million in salaries in their trade with the Boston Red Sox last week.

For the season, Marcum is 5-4 with a 3.19 ERA.

— Ken Rosenthal