When would the Angels sixth starter be used for the first time?

A lot has been discussed in regard to who will be the Los Angeles Angels sixth starter. One of Griffin Canning, Tucker Davidson, Chase Silseth, or Jaime Barria will likely get this spot.

What hasn't been discussed as much is how often will this sixth starter actually start games? We know Phil Nevin expects to use Shohei Ohtani every sixth day instead of game, which would give him the opportunity to start more games. This is crucial to the Angels' success in 2023.

While it'll be a little while before we see an Angels pitcher start a game, it's possible we see this sixth starter out of the bullpen as Phil Nevin said he could see this spot being more of a swingman role. For now, let's figure out when this pitcher will start a game.

When will we see the Angels sixth starter in the regular season for the first time?

We already know Shohei Ohtani is starting on Opening Day and Patrick Sandoval is starting the second game of the season. Tyler Anderson, Reid Detmers, and Jose Suarez will be starting the next three games, likely in that order.

Patrick Sandoval is starting the home opener as well for the Angels so that means Ohtani will be taking the spot of the sixth starter. They're able to do this because they have a day off after Opening Day (for some reason) which allows them to skip the sixth starter.

The Angels have another day off after the final game of their series in Seattle, which allows them to push the sixth starter back again.

After Sandoval starts the home opener against the Blue Jays, Tyler Anderson and Reid Detmers will likely pitch the last two games of that series. Jose Suarez will be the probable starter for the first game of the Angels next series at home against Washington, followed again by Ohtani. The third and final game of this series will be the time we see this sixth starter.

Considering the opponent is the Nationals, who could easily be the worst team in baseball in 2023, this sixth starter could even pitch well and give the Angels some length. It'll be interesting to see how the Halos mix and match their rotation throughout the entirety of the season while trying to maximize their starters.