New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole paid tribute to Tommy John following the former pitcher's death at age 83. Cole, who recently underwent the eponymous surgery himself, hailed John as a "trailblazer" and a figure of "great perseverance" for venturing into the unknown with the procedure.
Tommy John was the first baseball player to undergo ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction, performed by Dr. Frank Jobe in 1974. He successfully returned to pitching, appearing in 405 games and throwing 2,544 2/3 innings after the surgery, achieving 164 of his 288 career wins with the repaired elbow.
Cole, who had Tommy John surgery in 2025, returned to the mound this season and has demonstrated strong performance, posting a 3.22 earned run average through his first 15 starts. He expressed admiration for John being the first to successfully come back from a surgery that has become commonplace in baseball.
"What a blessing it is that we get to see these great players continue on such a great path, and it’s because of Tommy John and Dr. Jobe," Cole said Sunday after the Yankees' 4-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Both Cole and Yankees manager Aaron Boone suggested that John deserved a place in the Hall of Fame for his overall career, not solely for the surgery named in his honor.
"I hope people remember how outstanding his career was and not just being named for the injury that obviously we know very well now," Boone said. Boone, whose father played with John on the 1982 Angels, recalled imitating John's pitching windup. "But a great career and a lasting legacy."
In the game against the Blue Jays, pitcher Ryan Weathers delivered a strong performance, allowing only one run over 7 1/3 innings, outdueling Toronto's ace Dylan Cease. Weathers has recorded an ERA of 0.85 over his last five starts, strengthening his case to remain in the Yankees' rotation as Carlos Rodón nears a return from the injured list.
Weathers' ability to throw strikes and pitch efficiently on Sunday was crucial, particularly as manager Boone aimed to limit the workload of relievers Paul Blackburn and Brent Headrick. After David Bednar pitched five outs in relief of Weathers, Tim Hill secured his second save of the season by allowing only an inherited runner to score in the 10th inning.