Tommy John surgery

noun

Tom·​my John surgery ˈtä-mē-ˈjän- How to pronounce Tommy John surgery (audio)
plural Tommy John surgeries
: a surgical procedure in which a torn ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow is replaced with a tendon graft typically obtained from a superficial muscle of the forearm : ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction
Dr. Timothy Kremchek, the medical director for the Cincinnati Reds, specializes in an elbow-ligament reconstruction procedure commonly known as Tommy John surgery, named for the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher who first underwent it, in 1974.Sara Corbett
But as an outfielder he hurt his throwing arm and had to have Tommy John surgery before the year was out.Kelli Anderson

Examples of Tommy John surgery in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Davis Martin The right-hander returned to the majors in late July after returning from Tommy John surgery last season. Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2024 Buehler finished August with a 5.88 ERA, struggling in his return from a second Tommy John surgery. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2024 Gonsolin is one year removed from Tommy John surgery, but Roberts said before Saturday’s game that the 30-year-old right-hander and 2022 All-Star could emerge as a candidate for the postseason rotation or bullpen. Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2024 Not after losing not one but two more starters to season-ending Tommy John surgery – part of a rash of injuries that led to a revolving door in the starting rotation. Andrew Wagner, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for Tommy John surgery 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Tommy John surgery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

after Tommy John (Thomas Edward John, Jr. born 1943), U.S. baseball player who underwent the surgery in 1974

First Known Use

1984, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Tommy John surgery was in 1984

Dictionary Entries Near Tommy John surgery

Cite this Entry

“Tommy John surgery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Tommy%20John%20surgery. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

Tommy John surgery

noun
Tom·​my John surgery ˈtäm-ē-ˈjän- How to pronounce Tommy John surgery (audio)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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