Tommy John, whose elbow surgery changed baseball, pens ‘goodbye’ letter amid health struggle

NEW YORK — Tommy John, the former pitcher who in 1974 underwent an innovative surgical procedure on his elbow that is now part of his legacy, penned a farewell letter posted by the New York Yankees on Saturday.

The 83-year-old has been dealing with “health issues,” the team said in a social media post.

“I want to thank the Yankees organization and the Steinbrenner family for giving me this opportunity to say goodbye to everyone,” John wrote, “along with all the friends and fans who followed me throughout my 26-year career.”

On this 78th Old-Timers’ Day, Tommy John shares a message to his fans, former teammates, and the Yankees organization as he battles health issues from his home in Bradenton, Florida. pic.twitter.com/3lKUWHoaw0

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 8, 2026

John pitched for six teams over his lengthy MLB career, which included eight years with the Yankees, seven with the White Sox, six with the Dodgers, four with the Angels and three combined seasons with Cleveland and Oakland.

He started 700 games and had a career that spanned generations. He is forever linked with the 1974 surgery performed by Dr. Frank Jobe that would go on to change the game forever. Jobe, whom John acknowledged in his letter, died in 2014.

John was the first pitcher to have the surgery performed on his elbow, which is now commonly known as Tommy John surgery or TJ. It extended his career for several years.

Following his retirement at age 46, John went on to a broadcasting and coaching career at the collegiate and minor-league levels.

Just last week, Bucky Dent, a teammate of John’s with the Yankees, was notified of John’s poor health and went to visit his longtime friend.

“I got to spend a couple hours with him,” Dent said. “Just talked baseball. He was doing alright. It’s difficult. I just wanted to spend time with him.”

Dent was at Yankee Stadium for the 78th Old-Timers’ Day, an event in which John has previously participated. Dent said John’s health was a topic of conversation among attendees.

“He pitched a long time, and had a surgery named after him,” Dent said. “He’s a guy that went out there and did the job. … My heart goes out to him.”

John had previously been diagnosed with bladder cancer; he has also dealt with coronavirus and suffered blood clots in his lungs. The specifics of his current health condition were not immediately clear.

“The day I left for my first job as a pitcher,” John wrote in his letter, “my father looked at me and said, ‘Good luck, Tommy. Just remember one thing: whether you make it in the big leagues or you don’t, you’ll always just be Tommy John from Terre Haute, Indiana.

“I’ve never forgotten those words. Thank you and God bless.”