Dodgers’ shift in bullpen philosophy is apparent

Bullpens are the most volatile aspect of baseball. One year they can be great, the next not so much. And sometimes your closer has a heart problem, but that has nothing to do with what I’m addressing here.

In 2015 and ‘16, the Dodgers’ bullpens were decent, but they ultimately led to their undoing — especially in 2016. Last year, the bullpen was excellent. The thing that all three of these bullpens had in common were the fact they missed bats and gave up a lot of fly balls. The 2018 iteration of the bullpen is different, and that might not be a bad thing.

The Dodgers acquired Scott Alexander back in January. He was known as “Zach Britton-lite” because he relied heavily on his low-90s sinker.…