MLB Network and MLB video / Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026 / Remembering the life of Tommy John. Nicknamed "the Bionic Man," he was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 26 seasons between 1963 and 1989. John died at his home on Aug. 15, 2026, at the age of 83, after spending his final days in hospice care. Tommy John left a massive legacy as the namesake of the pioneering "Tommy John surgery" that revolutionized sports medicine and saved thousands of pitching careers. Beyond the procedure, he was a durable, elite Major League Baseball left-hander who won 288 games across 26 big-league seasons.