Tommy John surgery

[tom-ee jon sur-juh-ree]

noun

Medicine/Medical.

1. an operation to repair a torn ligament on the inner side of the elbow by replacing it with a tendon from elsewhere in the body or from a donor.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Tommy John surgery¹

First recorded in 1985–1990; after U.S. baseball pitcher Thomas Edward (“Tommy”) John (born 1943), who in 1974 was the first to undergo the surgery

Example Sentences

Hetman said her son quit “cold turkey” but she testified the addiction remained enough of a concern that Skaggs wasn’t prescribed opioids after undergoing Tommy John surgery in August 2014.

From Los Angeles Times

Up to that point, the two-way star had been making starts for the previous three months in his return from a second career Tommy John surgery.

From Los Angeles Times

Ohtani finished the regular season giving up just one run over his final four starts as a pitcher, and was stretched out to six innings last week in what was his longest outing since returning from a second career Tommy John surgery.

From Los Angeles Times

After a season spent mostly in rehab mode as a pitcher, building his workload inning by inning as he slowly worked his way back from a second Tommy John surgery, Ohtani has checked every box in his recovery and looks primed for what will be his first career postseason pitching outing.

From Los Angeles Times

With Ohtani still in his first season pitching after his second Tommy John surgery, the Dodgers have limited his starts to five innings.

From Los Angeles Times