Outside The Confines: Raccoon or rat?

Baseball can be weird. There are unusual plays, crazy history-making moments, breathtaking catches and record-breaking home runs.

This past Friday, though, there was a truly bizarre moment during the Mets game. Mid-game Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil went into the Mets dugout tunnel and a few moments later a fracas of some kind caused several other members of the team.

Whatever actually happened will remain between Lindor and McNeil, but they both insist it was actually an argument about a mysterious animal that they couldn’t agree on being a rat or a raccoon (just how big are rats in New York City?!)

It was an absolutely bonkers explanation that sounds completely made up, but if it is the truth, it’s a perfect case of the truth being stranger than fiction.

• Lindor explains the unique exchange.

• Brittany Ghiroli breaks more bad baseball news, as Nationals broadcaster F.P. Santangelo is accused of sexual misconduct. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Devan Fink wants to know what the heck happened to all the home runs?
• Jay Jaffee reflects on the parting of the ways between Albert Pujols and the Angels.
• Tom Verducci also looks at the long career of Pujols and what might come next.
• Michael Clair takes a Mother’s Day look at the connection between Casey Candaele and his mother.
• ESPN brings us classic moments between baseball players and their mothers.
• Ubaldo Jimenez never forgot a promise he made to his mother that he would get an education, reports James Wagner.
• Willians Astudillo and Hanser Alberto are swinging a hot bat and Matthew Roberson looks at how the pair are beating the deadball odds.
• Max Scherzer is on his way to history.

• Michael Clair and Dan Cichalski have your summer all planned now that we can travel again, with baseball road trip destinations in all 50 states.
• Will Leitch brings us one player on every team who needs to get back in their groove.
• Bradford Doolittle has one good (and one bad) thing for every MLB team so far.
• Ben Clemens looks at how wild relievers have been out of the pen this year.
• The NL East is a hot mess and not living up to expectations. David Schoenfield investigates what’s going on with the division.
• Meanwhile Claire McNear looks at how the Giants (and specifically Buster Posey) became the team to beat in the NL West.
• Jayson Stark doesn’t need no stinkin’ DH in the NL thank you very much. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• C. Trent Rosencrans reflects on Wade Miley’s no-hitter and its place in Reds history. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Big Leaguer in the making.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.