The world of Major League Baseball is mourning the death of Tommy John, the former pitcher whose name was forever linked to one of the most important medical interventions in sports history.
The Dodgers and Yankees reported this Sunday that John died on Saturday at the age of 83 at his home in Bradenton, Florida. The team did not release the cause of his death, although he had faced bladder cancer and other health problems in recent years.
Beyond his numbers as a pitcher, his legacy transcended the playing field. The surgery he underwent in 1974, after suffering a serious elbow injury, allowed him to continue pitching for 14 more seasons and ended up becoming a common procedure for thousands of athletes.
Tommy John's passing shocked the Dodgers, who had expressed their anguish.
The Dodgers, a team to which Tommy John belonged for 6 years, mourned the death and highlighted the impact that the surgery that bears his name had on the pitcher's career and on baseball.
"The Los Angeles Dodgers wish to express their sadness at the passing of Tommy John, who died Saturday at the age of 83. Thanks in large part to the pioneering surgery that bears his name, Tommy's extraordinary career spanned 26 seasons and 288 career victories. We offer our deepest condolences to his family and friends," the team posted on X.
The Yankees also mourned the death of the former pitcher
The New York Yankees, a team with which John played years later in two different stages, highlighted both his sporting achievements and the influence he had off the field of play.
“The New York Yankees mourn the passing of Tommy John, who was a pillar of our rotation during his time with the team and a great favorite of Yankees fans,” the organization said.
“While his incredible longevity and achievements after surgery changed the destiny and trajectory of countless athletes around the world, this also overshadowed his excellence as a pitcher, which included consecutive 20-win seasons with the Yankees,” they mentioned in a statement.
The team also remembered other facets of his personality and his impact on the sport.
"We pause to remember the entirety of his legacy: his competitiveness and skill, his penchant for conversation, his kind and cordial nature, and his stature as a pioneer in both sports and medicine. The Yankees express their sincere condolences to his family and friends," the Yankees concluded.
Tommy John turned an injury into a legacy
In 1974, when he was 31 years old, Tommy John suffered an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow, his throwing arm.
At the time, an injury of that nature practically meant the end of a pitcher's career.
However, Dr. Frank Jobe decided to perform experimental ligament reconstruction surgery. The procedure allowed John to return to the mound and continue playing for another 14 years.
Over time, that intervention became known as Tommy John surgery and became one of the most used procedures to treat elbow injuries in baseball.
Currently, the recovery process typically takes 12 to 18 months, and the operation is not limited to pitchers.
The surgery that changed the careers of thousands of pitchers
Tommy John had 124 wins in 355 games when he underwent the procedure.
After surgery he played another 405 matches and achieved 164 victories. He finished his career with 288 wins and 231 losses, along with a 3.34 ERA in 760 appearances.
His case helped demonstrate that an injury that could previously put an end to a pitcher's career did not necessarily mean retirement.
John himself recognized the fundamental role that Dr. Jobe played.
“Thank you to Dr. Jobe, who saved my arm and made it possible for me to continue throwing,” John wrote on August 8. “Since then, that surgery has saved the careers of countless pitchers, including many of the best in the game today.”
Pitchers who have undergone Tommy John surgery include Shohei Ohtani, Tarik Skubal, Justin Verlander, Chris Sale and Jacob deGrom, who has undergone the procedure twice.
From a minimal probability of success to regular surgery
When Frank Jobe operated on Tommy John, the chances of the procedure working were extremely slim.
The doctor himself once estimated that the chances of success of that first surgery were approximately one in a hundred.
Decades later, the picture is completely different.
According to orthopedic surgeon Neal ElAttrache, the Dodgers' chief physician, about 80% of pitchers are able to return to or even surpass their previous level after surgery.
The dimension of the procedure was also reflected in data from the American Medical Association: in 2024 it estimated that approximately 35% of active Major League pitchers had undergone Tommy John surgery at some point in their career.
A career of 288 victories in the Major Leagues
Before becoming a symbol of sports medicine, John built an outstanding career as a pitcher.
He was drafted by Cleveland in 1961, when he was 18, and made his major league debut in 1963.
He later moved to the Chicago White Sox, where he earned his first call to the All-Star Game in 1968. That year he finished fifth in the American League with a 1.98 ERA.
In 1972 he was sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team with which he lived some of the best years of his career.
In 1973 and 1974 he led the National League in winning percentage. It was precisely during the 1974 season when he suffered the injury that would change his life and, subsequently, the history of sports medicine.
Three seasons with at least 20 wins
After returning from surgery, John not only pitched again: he put up some of the best numbers of his career.
He had 20 wins with the Dodgers in 1977, with a record of 20-7.
Two years later, with the Yankees, he finished with a 21-9 record and won at least 20 games again.
In 1980 he reached 22 victories, with a record of 22-9.
In addition, he was called to the All-Star Game for three consecutive seasons, between 1978 and 1980.
During that period he accumulated 60 wins and 28 losses, with a 3.22 ERA in 754 and two-thirds innings.
Tommy John played three World Series
Throughout his career, John played in three World Series.
With the Dodgers he participated in the 1977 and 1978 editions, while with the Yankees he reached the 1981 World Series.
However, he never managed to win the championship.
Curiously, on all three occasions he ended up losing to the team that represented the rival: the Dodgers or the Yankees.
In addition to those two franchises, John also pitched for the California Angels, Cleveland Indians and Oakland Athletics.
A legacy recognized by the Hall of Fame
The influence of Tommy John and Frank Jobe was recognized by the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013, when both were honored for their contributions to the sport.
John also received the nickname “The Bionic Man,” a reference to the extraordinary longevity he achieved after that intervention.
Shortly before his death, John had posted a message after not being able to attend the Yankees' Old-Timers Day, held on August 8.
In that publication he expressed his desire to say goodbye to the people who accompanied him during his 26-year career.
“I will never forget them,” he wrote at the time.
