Braves sign Dominic Smith, Kyle Farmer to split contracts; Didier Fuentes to make opening day roster?
The Braves have signed veterans Dominic Smith and Kyle Farmer to split contracts for the 2026, likely signaling they will be on the opening day roster to begin the season. The club announced the moves on Saturday morning as they made final preparations for the upcoming season, which kicks off on Friday. As Mark Bowman of MLB.
com notes, the Braves do have flexibility to send either player to the minors if they add another player before Wednesday. Dom Smith and Kyle Farmer signed split contracts. So, if the season started today, they would be on Atlanta's roster.
But with these new deals, the Braves would have the choice to send either of them to Triple-A if they add another player before OD rosters are due on Wednesday. — Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) March 21, 2026 Smith, 30, will likely become the Braves’ primary designated hitter against right-handed pitching. While limited in the field and on the bases, Smith hit righties well last season with a .
296/. 343/. 436 line and 119 wRC+ over 198 plate appearances.
He’s been worse than that throughout the course of his career with a 100 wRC+. It is hardly ideal, but that’s what you get when Jurickson Profar gets popped for PEDs for the second time in 11 months. Farmer, 35, is a journeyman who was once a capable infielder with the Reds and Twins but has fallen off in recent years.