Yankees Pitcher Ryan Weathers Sees 9.1-Degree Drop in Arm Slot After Trade

The lefty's pitch profiles have changed dramatically with the new arm angle.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 2:42am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the pitching motion of a baseball player, with the figure broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of navy, green, and ochre, conveying the technical adjustments made to the pitcher's mechanics.A cubist interpretation of the dramatic changes to a pitcher's arm angle and delivery mechanics after being traded to a new team.Today in Miami

Pitcher Ryan Weathers has seen a significant 9.1-degree drop in his arm slot since being traded from the Miami Marlins to the New York Yankees this offseason. The change in his release point has altered the movement and characteristics of his four-seam fastball, changeup, and breaking ball, adding more vertical drop and horizontal movement.

Why it matters

A dramatic change in a pitcher's arm angle can have a major impact on the effectiveness and movement of their pitches, potentially leading to improved performance or struggles as they adapt to the new mechanics. Weathers' case highlights how a trade can prompt a team to work with a player to make significant technical adjustments.

The details

According to Baseball Savant data, Weathers is now releasing his four-seam fastball at a 36-degree arm slot, 9.1 degrees lower than his previous 45.1-degree angle with the Marlins. This has resulted in his fastball gaining 1.8 inches of additional vertical drop and 0.9 inches more horizontal movement to the arm side. His changeup and breaking ball have also seen increased movement with the new arm slot.

  • Weathers was traded from the Miami Marlins to the New York Yankees this offseason.
  • The dramatic 9.1-degree drop in his arm angle has been observed in the 2026 MLB season.

The players

Ryan Weathers

A left-handed pitcher who was traded from the Miami Marlins to the New York Yankees this offseason and has seen a significant change in his pitching mechanics.

New York Yankees

The MLB team that acquired Ryan Weathers in a trade this offseason and has worked with him to adjust his pitching arm slot.

Miami Marlins

The MLB team that traded Ryan Weathers to the New York Yankees this offseason.

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What they’re saying

“Weathers must've identified this as something to change. There's a chance the Yankees pointed it out to him, too.”

— Lance Brozdowski, Baseball analyst

What’s next

It remains to be seen how the changes to Weathers' pitching mechanics will impact his performance with the Yankees over the course of the 2026 season.

The takeaway

This case highlights how a trade can prompt a team to work with a player on making significant technical adjustments to their pitching delivery, with the goal of improving the effectiveness and movement of their pitches.