Maybe that’s a stretch, although with a 1.92 ERA over his first 17 starts, Fried wasn’t just the Yankees’ fill-in ace, he was the American League’s best lefthander. He was also in the running as one of GM Brian Cashman’s best free agent signings.

The swashbuckling squirrel then inspected Fried’s foot hole on the mound before darting toward Ben Rice at first base. Rice, too, was initially statue-esque, but he ultimately jumped away as the squirrel grew near.