Remembering Tommy John: 5 Pitchers Who Redefined Career After Tommy John Surgery

Tommy John, who died Sunday, left a huge legacy—the 1970s UCL reconstruction by Dr. Frank Jobe became the now-routine "Tommy John surgery" that has saved countless pitching careers.
Several elite pitchers made historic comebacks after the procedure—Jacob deGrom, Justin Verlander, Tarik Skubal and Éric Gagné are among those who returned to dominate and win Cy Youngs or awards.
The surgery also changed career arcs and outcomes—Stephen Strasburg returned to help the Nationals win the 2019 World Series, and Éric Gagné reinvented himself as a record-setting closer.