Who’s next in line if depleted rotation needs another starter?

ATLANTA — When the Yankees announced that Luis Severino would start against the Braves’ juggernaut lineup on Tuesday, many had a reasonable reaction.

Why?

Severino has been a disaster this season, which he’s called “the worst year of my life in baseball.” He’s also described himself as “the worst pitcher in the game.” With an 8.06 ERA entering Tuesday’s contest, he’s not far off.

But the Yankees continue to send Severino to the mound each turn through the rotation. While he followed an opener his last time out on Aug. 9 — which predictably made no difference — the Yankees have, in some shape or form, stuck with the embattled starter.

The truth is, they no longer have much of a choice.

The Yankees’ rotation hasn’t been healthy all season, making Severino a cat with nine lives. The team is currently without Nestor Cortes, who may not return from a rotator cuff strain, and Carlos Rodón, who is expected to return from a hamstring injury sometime next week. Then there’s Domingo Germán, who is receiving treatment for alcohol abuse.

With those three out and the Yankees failing to add a starter at the trade deadline, Severino has remained a fixture. Starters Jhony Brito and Randy Vásquez, meanwhile, are on the major league roster, though they followed openers in Miami.

“We have a number of guys expected to be in our rotation that aren’t right now,” said Aaron Boone, whose options are so thin that he’s considering stretching out reliever Michael King.

The only other starters on the 40-man roster are Yoendrys Gómez, Luis Gil and Frankie Montas. Gómez has not pitched above Double-a, while Gil and Montas are on the 60-day injured list and not expected to impact the Yankees this year.

That begs the question: who is next in line if the Yankees need another starting pitcher at some point?

“I think [Clayton] Beeter would be in the conversation. I think Mitch Spence would be in the conversation,” pitching coach Matt Blake told the Daily News. “Both those guys have been [at Triple-a] for a decent amount of time now. Those are probably the two names that stand out the most. Obviously, Will Warren’s on the radar. I would think they’d probably give some guys a shot that have been in Triple-a most of the year.”

Beeter, acquired from the Dodgers in the Joey Gallo trade, is considered the Yankees’ 16th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, but he has a 6.25 ERA in seven games for the Railriders. Warren, the Yankees’ 10th-best prospect, has a 5.24 ERA over 13 Triple-a starts.