Braves RELEASE Kyle Farmer, Moving On From Veteran; Is Dominic Smith Next? | Atlanta Braves Podcast

After an ugly 8–3 loss, the Braves signaled a tougher roster approach by activating Mike Yastrzemski and releasing Kyle Farmer instead of optioning Brewer Hicklen. Lindsay Crosby argues Farmer offered little beyond emergency catching insurance, while Hicklen brings speed and defense, and notes Dominic Smith’s prolonged offensive struggles and declining usage suggest he’s next when reinforcements arrive. Ronald Acuña Jr. is expected back soon, with Hicklen the likely corresponding move. Ha-Seong Kim’s improved AAA contact raises options ranging from DFA to a salary-eating deadline trade. Sean Murphy is nearing a rehab assignment, potentially prompting a three-catcher setup with Joey Bart and Drake Baldwin. Reynaldo López’s fastball-heavy plan backfired despite a dominant slider, reinforcing the need to trade prospects for pitching before the deadline.   Buy Braves Today merch: bravestoday.store Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/wksQqVNEpX Follow Lindsay on Twitter: @CrosbyBaseball Read our written work: bravestoday.substack.com Get 20% off at NCase Cards with promo code "BravesToday Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.