Despite video game accusations, David Price impresses in return to rotation

Whether or not video gaming has caused David Price’s case of minor carpal tunnel syndrome, the Red Sox starter delivered the goods in Toronto.

In classic Boston Sports fashion, David Price was ripped to shreds after he backed out of his Wednesday start against the New York Yankees.

Supposedly, Price is suffering from minor carpal tunnel syndrome, and Shaughnessy took to the keyboard to suggest that this might be a result of Price being an avid video gamer. It appears that a handful of Boston Red Sox players are heavily into the “Fortnite” video game that has taken the world by storm in recent months.

Shaughnessy goes on to say that it seems Price is doing his best to avoid pitching against the Yankees, seeing as how he exited after one inning during his first start against them – an April matchup at Fenway Park. Price left due to tingling in his fingers after New York tagged him for four runs in the first. Now after bailing out of his first start at Yankee Stadium, it became the perfect situation for a typical Shaughnessy column (anybody who regularly reads the Globe knows that he loves to criticize the Boston teams and athletes in every way possible).

But as usual, too much is being made out of the situation. Ever since Price arrived in Boston in 2016, he’s constantly been picked apart by the Boston media. I’m not saying he hasn’t deserved the scrutiny. After all, what else can you expect when you accept $217 million to play in one of the most baseball-crazed cities in the world, and thus far, you’ve failed to live up to expectations, you’ve had a tendency to be injury prone, and you cause off-the-field drama? The heavy criticism is bound to happen.

But, this video game thing is just another way for the media to pile on Price. For the time being, Price has calmed the storm, as he made his return to the rotation on Saturday in Toronto, pitching 5.1 innings and holding the Blue Jays to two runs with six strikeouts in a 5-2 Red Sox victory. Who knows how he will look in his next start, but at least for now, his carpal tunnel syndrome appeared to be under control.

Lastly, we probably shouldn’t go as far as to say that Price is intentionally avoiding pitching against the Yankees, or that he’s afraid of the Yankees. It’s only May, and the Sox still have plenty of matchups against the Yanks yet to come in the 2018 season. He will have ample opportunities to make up for missing his start on Wednesday.

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When Price decides to back out of a do-or-die start in the ALCS at Yankee Stadium, then we’ll have that conversation.