Tommy John surgery

American  

[tom-ee jon sur-juh-ree] / ˈtɒm i ˈdʒɒn ˌsɜr dʒə ri /

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.

---

Etymology

Origin of Tommy John surgery

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

See Examples For:

Tommy John surgery

A 2021 study from the Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine, however, showed that decreases in fastball velocity are an extremely common precursor of elbow problems that result in Tommy John surgery.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Instead of undergoing Tommy John surgery, when a torn ligament is replaced entirely, Atlanta Braves ace Spencer Strider underwent a new procedure that uses an internal brace and can lead to a speedier recovery.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026

Aidan Martinez, who missed 2025 after Tommy John surgery, throws the heat for two strikeouts.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026

Instead of giving up on baseball when he needed Tommy John surgery, his father encouraged Stripling to use the yearlong rehabilitation process as a way to explore what a future without baseball might look like.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 17, 2026

Martinez is throwing some blurs these days after returning this season following Tommy John surgery in June 2024.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 25, 2026