Report: Mets' Lindor grabbed McNeil by throat during rat-raccoon debacle

One season into Francisco Lindor's tenure with the New York Mets, there's already clubhouse turmoil surrounding the superstar shortstop.

In May, Lindor and Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil engaged in an altercation in the tunnel connecting the team's clubhouse and dugout at Citi Field. Afterward, the two attributed their kerfuffle to a debate on whether an animal spotted at the ballpark was a rat or raccoon.

But new details have emerged that Lindor grabbed McNeil by the neck due to frustration over infield positioning, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post.

"(Lindor) would always try to get him to move, and Jeff would be like, 'Shut up, I got it,'" a source told Puma. "It was building and building."

The Mets acquired second baseman Javier Baez from the Chicago Cubs less than two months after the incident, pushing McNeil into a full-time role in the outfield.

McNeil, 29, committed six errors over 79 games at second base during the 2021 season. Lindor, 27, committed 10 over 124 games at the more demanding shortstop position.

New York acquired Lindor from the Cleveland Indians in a blockbuster deal last winter before signing him to a 10-year, $341-million extension in March.

McNeil is entering his first season of arbitration eligibility and is under team control through the 2024 campaign. With Baez set to hit free agency, McNeil is expected to start at second base in 2022 barring any offseason roster changes.

The Mets are currently without a president of baseball operations or general manager as team president Sandy Alderson and owner Steve Cohen continue to search for Jared Porter's successor.