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Atlanta Braves: No COVID vaccine? No Chipper Jones in Spring Training

By Noah Yingling

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 03: Former Atlanta Braves player Chipper Jones shakes hands with Freddie Freeman #5 of the Atlanta Braves after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to game one of the National League Division Series between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals at SunTrust Park on October 03, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 03: Former Atlanta Braves player Chipper Jones shakes hands with Freddie Freeman #5 of the Atlanta Braves after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to game one of the National League Division Series between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals at SunTrust Park on October 03, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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David O’Brien of The Athletic reported on Twitter that Atlanta Braves legend and Baseball Hall of Famer Chipper Jones will not be with the team in Spring Training? Why? He is not vaccinated for COVID-19 and the Braves are requiring it for staff members to be in Spring Training.

Chipper Jones isn’t at Atlanta Braves spring training because he hasn’t been vaccinated

Atlanta Braves legend Chipper Jones is entering his second season as a hitting consultant, or a de facto fourth hitting coach for home games at Truist Park in 2022. However, he will be unable to lend his expertise, at least in person, since he is not vaccinated for COVID-19.

During the 2021 postseason, MLB required that all on-field personnel be vaccinated and in 2022, the Braves have required it for all staff members for Spring Training.

Jones serves under hitting coach Kevin Seitzer and assistant hitting coaches Bobby Magallanes and Jose Castro.

He is known for his closeness with some of the Braves players, including 2020 NL MVP and current free agent Freddie Freeman. However, as with all team personnel with players during the MLB lockout, Jones had not been in contact with players. Jones did express a few weeks ago that he thought that Freeman was “a little frustrated” with the Braves not re-signing him before the lockout.

“The Braves have made some offers, didn’t make him happy,” said Jones in February. “I haven’t talked to Freddie in quite some time, but I’m sure he’s probably a little frustrated this wasn’t done in Spring Training last year.”

Unless he does “consulting” via Zoom, Jones won’t be working with Braves players in a hands-on capacity for over four months, assuming that the Braves lift their mandate for the regular season.

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Jones was an analyst for ESPN on games in 2020 before he joined the Braves in an on-field role but Jones had been with the Braves as a special assistant to baseball operations starting in 2016. He played with the Braves for the entirety of his baseball career from 1993 through 2012.

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