Red Sox pitcher pressured into giving up Fortnite

If you require further proof that Fortnite has taken over the world, may I direct you to Boston Red Sox starting pitcher David Price? Price has struggled this season: In 37 innings pitched over seven starts, he's posted a 5.11 ERA, and pitching against the basement-dwelling Texas Rangers on May 3 he allowed seven runs in the first four innings. He then missed his next start against the Yankees due to what was reported as a mild case of carpal tunnel causing numbness in his hand.

What could be causing Price's carpal tunnel? Could it be his career as a pitcher which requires him to slowly destroy his arm with a violent and repetitive pitching motion? Nah, it must be those darn videogames.

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At least that's what Boston Globe writer Dan Shaughnessy arbitrarily decided after learning that Price plays Fortnite from a story in The Athletic on May 7, in which Price says he stays up late some nights playing Epic's battle royale game. The Boston Herald got on the bandwagon too, suggesting Price's arm injury might be related to Fortnite and not the act of hurling a baseball 95 miles per hour for a living.

Reporters naturally asked Red Sox Manager Alex Cora about it, who didn't believe there was a link between Price's injury and Fortnite, but said he'd discuss it with Price. It appears that discussion took place, and according to a tweet from Red Sox beat reporter Ian Browne, Price won't be playing Fortnite at the ballpark anymore "because he is aware the topic has been a distraction".

It seems extremely silly to me when reporters decide they are doctors and can diagnose injuries, and doubly silly that it leads to guy not being able to play a game he enjoys.

Thanks to Deadspin.

Chris started playing PC games in the 1980s, started writing about them in the early 2000s, and (finally) started getting paid to write about them in the late 2000s. Following a few years as a regular freelancer, PC Gamer hired him in 2014, probably so he'd stop emailing them asking for more work. Chris has a love-hate relationship with survival games and an unhealthy fascination with the inner lives of NPCs. He's also a fan of offbeat simulation games, mods, and ignoring storylines in RPGs so he can make up his own.