The Braves’ hold on the NL East has tightened into a real race, and that kind of pressure usually forces a club to take a hard look at the edges of its roster.
Atlanta still sits ahead of the pack, but the margin is no longer comfortable. The Phillies, after stumbling out of the gate with a 9-19 start, are now only two games back. The Marlins have also closed the gap after a strong June, sitting four games behind first place.
That has opened the door for roster changes after the All-Star break, and one name being floated as a possible casualty is Dominic Smith. FanSided’s Christopher Kline wrote that the Braves could consider trading him or moving on altogether.
"Smith is borderline unplayable in the field, especially with almost every first base dedicated to Matt Olson. He's there to swing the bat, and right now, he's doing so in a counterproductive way," wrote Kline. "The Braves probably need to bite the bullet on the idea of Smith as a late-career breakout."
Smith’s first month in Atlanta gave the Braves a reason to believe. He hit .339 in April and followed that with a .310 mark in May.
Since then, though, the production has fallen off sharply. In June, Smith posted a .508 OPS with one home run, and the opening stretch of July was even rougher.
"Injuries have kept Smith locked in the DH spot, as Atlanta needs every functional right-handed bat it can get," Kline added. "However, he has a .490 OPS since the calendar flipped to June."
Smith isn’t the only problem spot in the lineup. Kline also pointed to shortstop Ha Seong-Kim, noting that the Braves are dealing with two offensive dead spots at once.
For Atlanta, that leaves the front office with decisions to make soon.
In Other News...
Braves Fans Had One Big Reason To Watch Cam Caminiti Closely
The 2026 MLB All-Star Futures Game in Philadelphia gave Braves fans a fresh look at Cam Caminiti, the organizations top pitching prospect, in a setting built for baseballs next wave of talent. The American League rolled to a 6-1 win over the National League, but the showcase was really about the names scattered across the field, with Jess Made, Kade Anderson, Seth Hernandez, Liam Doyle, Leo De Vries, JoJo Parker and Nathan Flewelling all getting a turn in front of a national audience.
Caminiti did his part to keep Atlantas interest alive, working a scoreless inning and striking out one in his outing. The bigger buzz from the game came elsewhere, as Flewelling turned in the kind of moment that can define a showcase like this, leaving Braves followers to track not just how Caminiti looked, but what his brief appearance says about where he stands in the organizations pipeline. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Just Confirmed A Ronald Acuna Jr. Update Fans Needed
Ronald Acuna Jr. is set to take another step back toward Atlantas lineup, with a rehab assignment beginning Monday at the FCL Braves. It is the latest checkpoint in a season that has again been interrupted by injury for one of the Braves most important players, and it comes with the kind of caution that has followed Acuna since his breakout years were derailed by repeated setbacks.
Ha-Seong Kim will also be in the FCL Braves mix as he starts his own rehab work, giving the club a pair of notable names to monitor at the same level. For Atlanta, the bigger picture is familiar by now: Acuna still changes the lineup when he is available, but every return now carries the lingering question of how long he can stay on the field after so many stops and starts. [Read more 🡒]