The video game Fortnite is easily one of the most popular around the United States, but it got a little too popular for a professional team trying to win games during a long season.
Not everybody is a fan of the game, and that included former Philadelphia Phillies veteran first baseman Carlos Santana.
When the Phillies were in the midst of a late season stretch when the team went 6-20 in 2018, Santana said there were players who played Fortnite during games.
“I see a couple players — I don’t want to say names — they play video games during the game,” Santana told ESPN. “We come and lose too many games, and I feel like they weren’t worried about it. Weren’t respecting their teammates or coaches or the staff or the [front] office. It’s not my personality. But I’m angry because I want to make it good.”
Not only were players playing Fortnite, but their terrible play got them under .500 and knocked them out of playoff contention. Santana had seen enough, so he took a bat to the clubhouse television, and told the players if they wanted to play the game, they had to do so somewhere else.
“I don’t know what happened,” Santana said, “but I’ve never seen that in my life — during the game, playing video games. It’s not professional. Each team is everybody all together. I understand we’re eliminated for the season, but you have to have pride.”
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Santana hit .229 with 24 home runs and 86 RBI in his only season in Philadelphia.
As for the team, they were just 3 games back in the NL East, but a 8–20 record in the month got them a final record of 80-82.
Santana was traded back to the Cleveland Indians.
