When a team reaches for a bullpen game in September, it’s usually a sign that they’re waving the white flag or facing a schedule crunch. When it happens in April? That’s a full-on red sign flashing: “We don’t know what else to do.”

That’s exactly where the Atlanta Braves find themselves after losing Spencer Strider to the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain. With their ace sidelined again just days after making his triumphant return from last year’s elbow surgery, the rotation has been left in shambles — and after cycling through internal options, the Braves are now resorting to a bullpen patchwork against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.

To be fair, it’s not like they had a clear Plan B. Bryce Elder has been very inconsistent and AJ Smith-Shawver has been stuck in Triple-A Gwinnett since his third start of the season on April 13; Smith-Shawver may have been an option in this spot, but it would require making him pitch on short rest. So now it’s a parade of relievers, patchwork innings and crossed fingers that the offense can put up enough runs to win every fifth day.

Of course, the front office and coaching staff are hoping this is temporary. But “temporary” bullpen games have a way of turning into monthly rituals if no one steps up. And it’s hard not to feel like the Braves are just taping over a cracked foundation at this point.

Replacing an ace like Strider was never going to be easy. But throwing darts in April feels less like strategy and more like survival mode.

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The Braves have the talent to weather the storm, but is this the go-to plan moving forward?

Let’s say Atlanta better hope its offense continues to hit well … or that GM Alex Anthopoulos has a trade rabbit somewhere in his hat. Because if bullpen days are the go-to plan moving forward, the Braves are flirting with burnout before Memorial Day weekend.

Relievers are built to dominate in short bursts, not shoulder starter-level workloads every fifth day. The longer this drags on, the more it risks exploiting even the most reliable back-end pieces the Braves feature. And that’s not a crack you want forming on a team built for October, much less one whose bullpen has already been a question mark this year.

The Braves can tread water for a while, but if they’re serious about trying to make another deep postseason run, this can’t and won’t be the long-term solution.