The Braves’ roster squeeze is about to get real, and the answer may be sitting in plain sight.
Ronald Acuña Jr. is expected back from the IL at some point over the next few days, and that means Atlanta has to clear a spot. Brewer Hicklen makes sense on paper because he can still be optioned to the minor leagues, and he has been one of the brighter spots for a Braves club that has needed more right-handed help. Eli White is another possibility, even if he hasn’t played well this season, because he’s a trusted bench piece who also gives them right-handed depth.
But the name that probably deserves the most attention is Dom Smith.
Smith has been one of the more enjoyable stories in Atlanta this season, and by all accounts he has been a strong presence in the clubhouse. The Braves likely don’t get off to such a hot start without what he provided offensively early on. That said, his lack of defensive flexibility and his recent struggles make him the most obvious roster casualty on performance alone.
Still, the signs point elsewhere.
Mark Bowman noted on July 24, 2026, after Smith’s home run on Thursday, that a single swing might have changed the conversation. He wrote: “Many of you were correct to point out that one home run shouldn’t change anything.
My tweet had more to do with Dom being an experienced veteran who is loved throughout the clubhouse. Hicklen is a great guy as well.
But Dom showing some life might have been all it took for the… ”
That homer did help Atlanta lock up another important series win over the Padres, but it doesn’t erase the bigger issue. Smith has been rough at the plate for a while now.
Over his last 52 games with the Braves, he has a .586 OPS and only three home runs. If he’s going to play, it’s basically at designated hitter, and Atlanta has other internal options that would give them more production there.
Short of something extreme involving Matt Olson, Smith’s path to regular at-bats is limited.
Hicklen isn’t a perfect answer, but he has been solid since his call-up and has given the Braves the right-handed outfield help they’ve badly needed. The real question is which version of this roster is better for the rest of the season: one with Smith, or one with Hicklen or nearly anyone else in that spot?
The early-season feel-good story has run its course. The Braves know what Smith is now, and right now that player doesn’t fit their needs.
Even so, Bowman’s read may be the one Atlanta follows. The Braves could decide Smith’s clubhouse value matters more than Hicklen’s option status, especially if they believe Smith is less likely to be claimed after a DFA.
And if that’s the route they take, it would be understandable. But from a pure roster standpoint, Atlanta would probably be better off moving on.
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