This Small Change Made Kyle Ryan One of MLB’s Best Relievers

I was incredibly intrigued when Kyle Ryan debuted with the Chicago Cubs because his release point was so unorthodox. Ryan would come set, then step all the way towards the first base side as if he were picking off a runner, eventually releasing the pitch further toward the first base side than any other MLB pitcher.

Despite that unique delivery, the lefty’s numbers through May (5.01 ERA, 4.03 FIP) were worthy of a discussion about an option to Triple A. But then something happened, a change that yielded almost magical results. Starting with his appearance on June 5, Ryan shifted his starting position a few inches towards the center of the rubber. He didn’t significantly alter his release…