Pulley alignment of Shimano derailleur
Upon initial inspection, the issue described may seem alarming. However, the newer Shimano derailleurs are slightly bent and twisted to aid in shifting performance and meeting the ever increasing demands of larger cassettes.
For instance, the XTR M9100 derailleur is slightly bent and twisted and angled in such a way that the lower pulley wheel is facing towards the chainring. This helps when shifting down the Cassette and prevents damage to the pulley arm when the RD is at the 51T cog of the cassette.
In a nutshell, the slightly bent and twisted cage aids in shifting up/down larger cassettes and mitigates the damages of cross-chaining (which is inevitable on 1x drivetrains).