Braves predicted to cut ties with walk-off hero despite his latest efforts

Braves predicted to cut ties with walk-off hero despite his latest efforts originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Dominic Smith delivered a walk-off bomb during Opening Weekend, which is typically the kind of early-season moment that usually earns a player a longer look.

However, for the Atlanta Braves , Smith's time might not come down to how he plays, but to injuries. Despite his recent moment, Austin Owens of FanSided believes the Braves will cut ties with him as they start to get healthier throughout the year. “Dominic Smith is a great bench piece to have in the Majors, he's just honestly not the best fit in Atlanta.

And it feels like he would be the first man out the door when one of the big names return from injury. "Smith's versatility between first base and the outfield is helpful enough in a pinch, but there's no need for it with this roster at full strength. Superstar Matt Olson takes great pride in playing every day and plans to do so again in 2026.

Should another unfortunate injury occur that takes Olson out of the lineup, manager Walt Weiss would have better internal options to fill the first-base void than plugging in Smith,” he wrote . Sadly, this isn't about whether Smith can contribute, but whether there’s actually a role for him once the roster is back and healthy. Matt Olson isn’t coming out of the lineup, and while Smith has played the outfield, he's not someone the Braves will want to put out there every night.