Former Phillies catcher Bob Boone quitting Nationals front-office job over COVID-19 vaccine

Longtime former Phillies catcher Bob Boone will leave his advisory role in the Washington Nationals’ front office instead of getting a COVID-19 shot.

Boone, 73, told the Washington Post on Wednesday that he “unfortunately” plans to resign after 16 seasons with the Nationals, who recently mandated that all non-playing personnel get vaccinated or apply for a medical exemption. The Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles have issued similar directives to their employees.

In a statement issued Friday, the Nationals said they “have a responsibility to do everything we can to keep one another safe and felt that mandating vaccines was the absolute right thing to do for our employees and our community.” The requirement applies to coaches, front-office and business staff, clubhouse employees, stadium workers, and others. A vaccine mandate for players would have to be collectively bargained between Major League Baseball and the players’ union.

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Boone spent 10 seasons with the Phillies and was the catcher on the 1980 World Series championship team. He’s a top lieutenant for Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo after previously working as an assistant GM and vice president of player personnel. His son Aaron manages the New York Yankees and has a heart condition. Aaron Boone got vaccinated in March after having surgery to insert a pacemaker.

In a playing career that spanned 19 seasons, Boone caught 2,225 games, third on the all-time list behind Hall of Famers Iván Rodríguez (2,427) and Carlton Fisk (2,226).

Boone was inducted to the Phillies’ Wall of Fame in 2005.

The first day of September brought a rainout for the Phillies and Nationals, who will make up the game at 1:05 p.m. Thursday in Washington. But with major-league rosters expanding to 28 players (from 26) for the rest of the season, the Phillies called up right-handers Cam Bedrosian and Ramón Rosso from triple-A Lehigh Valley.

To clear spots on the 40-man roster, the Phillies transferred first baseman Rhys Hoskins to the 60-day injured list and moved shortstop Didi Gregorius to the restricted list. Gregorius is in Curaçao to attend the birth of his child.

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Bedrosian, son of former Phillies closer and 1987 Cy Young Award winner Steve Bedrosian, signed as a minor-league free agent in July and had a 2.25 ERA in 16 appearances for Lehigh Valley. He has a 3.79 ERA in 300 major-league appearances, including a 5.52 mark in 15 games this season with Cincinnati and Oakland.

Rosso has a 4.50 ERA in 19 games this season with Lehigh Valley. He had a 5.73 ERA in eight games with the Phillies over the last two seasons.

The Phillies reinstated reliever Seranthony Domínguez from his minor-league rehab assignment and optioned him to Lehigh Valley. Domínguez, who had Tommy John elbow surgery last July 31, has allowed 15 runs in 10 innings over 10 games at three minor-league levels. ... The Phillies have won seven consecutive games against the Nationals, their longest streak since 2009. All seven victories have come in Washington. ... Aaron Nola (7-7, 4.30 ERA) will start the series finale against Nationals right-hander Paolo Espino (4-4, 4.13).