One of video gaming’s most popular titles, Fortnite is a big game and a big business — sort of like baseball, the sport that’s officially known as “America’s pastime.”
Already well-paid stars themselves, Major League Baseball players have flocked to Fortnite because with plenty of downtime between games and travel, it’s easy for them to unwind with a few rounds of the online, multi-player, and mobile-compatible battle royale, whether they’re in the clubhouse, their hotel room, or on the bus.
But the shoot-em-up title may have just taken its first big league casualty.
Boston Red Sox pitcher David Price, missed his Wednesday start against the team’s hated rival New York Yankees because of mild case of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Price is hardly the only major leaguer to be hit with Fortnite fever, though he may be the only one shelved by it.
Combined, these players are earning $79.25 million in 2018, with Price’s $30 million salary representing the biggest chunk of that haul.
Regardless, with $30 million at stake (in Price’s case), Major League owners have a reasonable expectation that players curb the time they spend scrambling around Fortnite, looking for loot boxes if it detracts from their on-field performance. »
