Mickey Mantle battled through a damaged knee. Bud Black continued pitching despite a progressively compromised elbow. Those legends played in an era where medical solutions weren’t practical enough. But nowadays, a UCL tear seems like just another setback in a pitcher’s career. And much of that change has been made possible by Tommy John. As the legend passed away, Gerrit Cole, another Yankees veteran with a TJ history, offered his personal tribute. 

“I think the first thing that comes to mind is how much of a trailblazer he was and what great perseverance he had, venturing into the unknown with the surgery and really writing the book, writing the script for how to push through it and overcome it and ultimately have success afterwards,” Cole said on Sunday, per Greg Joyce from the New York Post. 

Thomas Edward John had been suffering from bladder cancer since 2024. He passed away on August 15, 2026, at the age of 83. But the pitcher left behind a huge legacy of 288 wins, 2,245 strikeouts, and a 3.34 ERA. While his stats are unbelievable on their own, he is more famous for his unyielding mindset.

John was the first player to undergo ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (in 1974) in his throwing arm. Dr. Frank Jobe warned him that he might not be able to pitch again. But he refused to accept that and came back on the mound in 1976 and went on to pitch for 14 more years.

164 of his wins came after his surgery. And that’s exactly what Cole is highlighting. 

“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,” he added. 

Gerrit Cole himself went through the UCL surgery that is now colloquially known as Tommy John surgery in March 2025. He returned to the mound in 2026 and recorded a 3.22 ERA, striking out 92 batters over 15 starts this season. While he has made an excellent recovery, Cole is well aware of the effort to build up the velocity and bring back the command after staying away from the field for so long. That’s why he has such high praise for the former Yankees legend, who rehabbed for two years and even worked on his grip before coming back to the mound.

But his manager has a different perspective. 

“I hope people remember how outstanding his career was and not just being named for the injury that obviously we know very well now,” noted Aaron Boone. “I can see his windup, one of my favorite windups to imitate. But a great career and a lasting legacy.”

The reason the Yankees skipper remembers John’s pitches so clearly is because his old man, Bob Boone, was his teammate during 1982-1985, playing for the California Angels.

Even after the surgery, a better-than-average 3.09 earned run average. He was even named National League Comeback Player of the Year by The Sporting News.

But it’s not just Aaron or Gerrit offering their heartfelt words for Tommy John. 

Yankees family remembers John’s lasting impact

Ahead of the New York Yankees’ annual Old-Timers’ Day, Tommy John shared a message with his old team to say goodbye to fans, former teammates, and the organization while dealing with serious health issues.

The letter read:

“I want to thank the Yankees organization & the Steinbrenner family for giving me this opportunity to say goodbye to everyone, along with all the friends & fans who followed me throughout my 26-year career… Thank you to all the fans who supported me and my teammates for 26 years. I will never forget you.”

That note was also a gratitude for how Dr. Frank Jobe helped him. Now that we bid adieu to him, the entire Yankee organization has come together to share their condolences, along with his former teammates.

Don Mattingly, the Philadelphia Phillies’ current interim manager, was a teammate of Tommy John during their time at the Yankees. And he was a witness to one of the more infamously funny moments in the legend’s career. 

Back in 1988, the then-45-year-old Yankees starter had made 3 errors in just 12 seconds. John tried to field a ball off a Brewers batter barehanded and dropped it on his first attempt. After he managed to pick it up, he threw it 10 feet wide of Mattingly at first base. It eventually came back to him in the same play, and he needed to relay it to the catcher. Instead, John’s throw sailed over his head. 

Years later, Don chose to remember his former teammate for the qualities that defined him.

He said, “I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my friend, Tommy John. Tommy and I were both from Indiana and shared a Midwest bond while playing in New York together. He was a great pitcher and the ultimate competitor.”

Willie Randolph, another of John’s teammates, shared his heartfelt message:

“I have so many fond memories of Tommy, beginning with the years before he came to the Yankees, when we battled the Dodgers in the World Series. He was a consummate pitcher — truly a craftsman on the mound.”

Both of them offered their condolences to his family. And Randolph mentioned how good-natured John was. He even urged a Hall of Fame induction for his late friend. 

Meanwhile, Ron Guidry kept his tribute much shorter.

He simply noted, “It was great having him on the team.”

That is something every person in the Yankees organization who has ever played or worked with Tommy John would agree on. 

“His courage changed baseball, transformed sports medicine and gave generations of injured athletes hope. Few people have shaped my life and career more profoundly,” Dr. Christopher Ahmad, head team physician for the New York Yankees, wrote on X. “The game will never forget you.”

The Yankees also released an official statement that read, “We pause to remember the totality of his legacy — his competitiveness and skill, his penchant for conversation, his kind and gracious nature, and his stature as an athletic and medical pioneer.”

They also termed him “the bedrock of our rotation” and acknowledged how he was a longtime favorite of Yankees fans. The legend has passed away, but the lives Tommy John touched will keep his legacy alive for generations to come.