Tommy John, pitcher and namesake of ligament-replacement surgery, dies at 83

Tommy John, the former major league pitcher whose name is attached to the ligament-replacement operation that changed pitcher rehabilitation, has died at age 83, TMZ.com reported on Aug. 16, 2026. According to TMZ, he died at his home in Florida, surrounded by his family, and had recently been in hospice care.

John was the first player to undergo the pioneering procedure and his former team, the New York Yankees, issued a statement paying tribute to him. “The New York Yankees mourn the passing of Tommy John, who was ⁠a bedrock of our rotation during his time in pinstripes and a longtime favorite of Yankees fans,” his former team said in a statement. The statement added: “We pause ​to remember the totality of his legacy – his ‌competitiveness and skill, his penchant for ‌conversation, his kind and gracious nature, and his stature as an athletic and medical pioneer. The Yankees extend ‌our deepest condolences to his family and friends, including wife, Cheryl, daughter, Tamara, and sons Tommy III and Travis. We also keep his son Taylor in our hearts.” John was a four-time All-Star whose consecutive 20-win seasons with the Yankees were a notable part of his playing career, and he had recently undergone treatment related to a recurrence of bladder cancer.

Earlier this month John wrote a farewell letter to fans, in which he thanked the Yankees and the Steinbrenner family and expressed gratitude to the surgeon who extended his career. “I want to thank the Yankees organization + the Steinbrenner family for giving me this opportunity to say goodbye to everyone, along ‌with all the friends + fans who followed me through my 26-year career,” John said in the letter. “Thanks for Dr Jobe, who saved my arm + made it possible for me to continue ​pitching. That surgery has since gone on to save the careers of countless pitchers, including many of the very best in the game today. Thank you to all the fans who supported me and my teammates for 26 years. I will never forget you.”

John was 31 years old when he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow in 1974 and agreed to an operation performed by the Dodgers’ team physician, Dr. Frank Jobe. Jobe replaced the damaged ligament with a tendon taken from John’s right forearm and reportedly gave the procedure 100-to-1 odds of success. John recalled his response at the time: “Dr Jobe, if you do your job, I’ll do mine,” John said at the time. He missed the 1975 season after the surgery but ultimately pitched another 14 seasons following the operation.

Before the surgery John had compiled a 124-106 record with a 2.97 ERA across 355 appearances (318 starts) in his first 12 major league seasons. After returning in 1976 he went 164-125 with a 3.66 ERA in 405 appearances (382 starts) over the rest of his career. Over 26 major league seasons he pitched for six clubs, including the Chicago White Sox (1965-71), the Los Angeles Dodgers (1972-74, 1976-78) and the New York Yankees, and he later worked as a broadcaster for the Minnesota Twins and the Yankees; he is not a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The procedure that bears his name became widespread in the sport; the American Medical Association reported that around 35% of active major league pitchers in 2024 had undergone Tommy John surgery. That group of players includes Cy Young winners Jacob deGrom, Chris Sale, Justin Verlander and Tarik Skubal. John and his family expressed mixed feelings about that legacy, and John voiced public concern about its prevalence in younger athletes when he tweeted in July 2018: “I am sick my name is attached to a surgery happening in kids more than pros.”

John’s family has engaged with his medical legacy off the field: his oldest son, Tommy III, became a chiropractor and wrote a book suggesting ways to prevent young athletes from having to undergo major sports-related surgery similar to what his father endured.