A total of 41 living players, executives, or broadcasters gathered at Dodger Stadium on Saturday for the Los Angeles’ Dodgers celebration of “alumni weekend.”
In a crowd that included Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax, Hall of Fame broadcaster Jaime Jarrin, and longtime owner Peter O’Malley, one name was more famous than all of them: Tommy John.
The 81-year-old pitcher appeared in parts of 26 seasons, one shy of a major league record, from 1963 to 1989, when the Yankees designated him for assignment to make room for Deion Sanders. That little trivia nugget isn’t what makes John famous — not by a mile.
As the first recipient of the ligament-replacement surgery that now bears his name, John set a precedent not on the pitcher’s mound but in the operating room. The Dodgers’ team surgeon, Dr. Frank Jobe, pioneered the operation that has become more common since it was first performed in 1974.
Now, the name “Tommy John” is synonymous with “elbow surgeries that require 12 to 18 months to recover from.” Although the procedure has saved the careers of countless pitchers over the years, it also infuriates fans who hear it and realize their favorite players will not return to the field for more than a year.
The Dodgers in particular have endured their share of tough luck with elbows this year.
More news: Dodgers Lose Yet Another Pitcher to Tommy John Surgery
River Ryan became the latest pitcher recommended to undergo the procedure earlier this month, just four starts into his major league career. Considering four other Dodger pitchers — Tony Gonsolin, Walker Buehler, Emmet Sheehan, and Dustin May — have spent time on the injured list this season recovering from the procedure, their fans’ frustration was understandable.
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But which team’s major league pitchers have actually undergone the most Tommy John surgeries in the last, say, four seasons?
The answer, according to Jon Roegele’s master database, is a four-way tie between the Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Oakland A’s, with six apiece.
The Angels’ list includes Shohei Ohtani, who underwent the procedure last year, before he signed with the Dodgers, and is still unable to pitch.
The Marlins’ list includes 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara.
Otherwise, the list includes no bona fide stars — just a lot of pitchers with gnarly scars.
The Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays are tied for second on the list with five apiece. The Dodgers will join them once Ryan undergoes his procedure.
Only three teams haven’t had a major league pitcher undergo the procedure since 2022: the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Francisco Giants.
The Cardinals are the only team who haven’t had a major or minor league pitcher undergo the procedure since 2022. Including minor leaguers, the Mets lead all teams in pitcher Tommy John surgeries during that time period, with 14.
