This MLB lockout seems to unfortunately still be going strong, and that does and is going to continue to have a strong impact on the LA Angels starting rotation.
There is going to be a lack of continuity in how the players and coaches are going to prepare, and continuity is the one thing ballplayers need the most in this pandemic world. It's something that they haven't had a ton of in a long time. In fact, the last time we had a shortened season, we saw a glimpse of how lost time can truly affect even the best players in this league.
There are three Angels in particular who are going to be affected most when it comes to this starting rotation. The rotation is already a major question on this roster, and this lockout is only going to make the situation worse. Unfortunately, the Angels are one of the teams affected by the lockout the most.
No. 3 LA Angels starting pitcher who will be negatively affected by the lockout: Patrick Sandoval
In 2020, Patrick Sandoval really struggled with the shortened season. He regressed from a 5.03 ERA pitcher to a 5.65 ERA pitcher. He went from posting a 4.59 FIP in 2019 to a 5.92 FIP in 2020.
Of course, Sandoval is a better pitcher since then, but a different schedule clearly had him regress from where he was during his full season. And it's not just that he's not only dealt with a pandemic year switching up his routine, but also an injury that he's coming off of. There are ways to work around the lockout when it comes to getting proper care for an injury, but his typical arm care program will be harder to get done with all these current restrictions.