Ex-Red Sox coach says MLB bullied personnel into getting vaccine

Former Boston Red Sox first-base coach Tom Goodwin wasn't allowed to participate in the 2021 postseason because of restrictions put in place by Major League Baseball, which he believes was unfair to him and other non-playing personnel.

"I've never been an anti-vax guy. I didn't feel it was right the way MLB was doing it," Goodwin told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. "I really felt - and it was just how I felt, maybe I was wrong, maybe I wasn't - but that we were being bullied, the personnel who did not get vaccinated, by MLB because they could bully us. They could bully the coaches."

MLB revealed before the 2021 postseason that it would require non-playing personnel to be vaccinated in order to access the field and other restricted areas. The league has since put vaccine mandates in place for 2022 involving minor-league players and personnel but has yet to announce rules concerning coaches and other staff at the MLB level. Big-league players aren't required to be vaccinated.

Goodwin told Rosenthal he didn't get the shot before the 2021 postseason because he felt uncomfortable that the league waited until a few weeks before the playoffs to put the rules in place, which didn't allow him enough time to research the vaccine.

The 53-year-old received the vaccine this offseason, according to Rosenthal.

The Red Sox parted ways with Goodwin in October, though chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said the decision had nothing to do with the coach's vaccination status.

Goodwin recently accepted a position as roving minor-league outfield instructor with the Atlanta Braves after not receiving any major-league coaching opportunities.