Notable pitchers who underwent multiple Tommy John surgeries

Plenty of pitchers have returned from Tommy John surgery to have successful careers, including the procedure’s namesake. But coming back from two elbow reconstruction operations? The success stories are much fewer and far between.

In recent years, the list of pitchers who have undergone multiple Tommy John surgeries has grown to include Jacob deGrom, Shane McClanahan, Walker Buehler, Dustin May, Chris Paddack and Hyun Jin Ryu. (Drew Rasmussen opted for an internal brace procedure rather than undergoing a third Tommy John surgery.)

While it’s too soon to tell how those hurlers’ careers will turn out, here’s a breakdown of some other notable pitchers who have undergone multiple Tommy John surgeries, with help from Jon Roegele's extensive Tommy John database.

5 who came back strong

Nathan Eovaldi
First surgery: 2007 | Second surgery: 2016

Eovaldi underwent his first Tommy John surgery before being selected by the Dodgers in the 11th round of the 2008 MLB Draft out of high school. He debuted in 2011 and posted a 4.21 ERA over 134 games (127 starts) for the Dodgers, Marlins and Yankees before requiring his second elbow procedure. After a 10-start stint with the Rays in 2018, Tampa Bay dealt the right-hander to the Red Sox at the Trade Deadline, and he went on to become a key member of Boston’s World Series-winning roster that fall. Eovaldi re-signed with the Red Sox for $68 million over four years and earned his first All-Star selection in 2021. He picked up another All-Star nod with the Rangers in 2023 after joining Texas on a two-year, $32 million deal in free agency.

Jameson Taillon
First surgery: 2014 | Second surgery: 2019

Taillon’s professional career has been an arduous journey since the Pirates made him the second overall pick in the 2010 MLB Draft out of high school. Taillon battled back from his first Tommy John surgery and a cancer diagnosis in 2017 to record a 3.67 ERA over 82 starts for Pittsburgh, but he suffered another setback when he needed Tommy John surgery again in 2019. Traded to the Yankees in 2021, Taillon performed well enough for New York to earn a four-year, $68 million deal with the Cubs in free agency following the 2022 campaign.

Daniel Hudson
First surgery: 2012 | Second surgery: 2013

Hudson had a breakout age-24 season for the D-backs in 2011, posting a 3.49 ERA over 222 innings, but he struggled the following year and ultimately underwent Tommy John surgery that July. He had to have the procedure again less than a year later and didn’t return until late in 2014. Hudson found new life as a reliever and reached his zenith in 2019, posting a 2.47 ERA over 73 innings for the Blue Jays and Nationals in the regular season and closing out Washington’s World Series title-clinching victory over the Astros in Game 7.

Joakim Soria
First surgery: 2003 | Second surgery: 2012

Soria established himself as one of the top closers in baseball with the Royals over his first five seasons, making two All-Star teams and recording a 2.40 ERA with 160 saves from 2007-11. The right-hander wasn’t quite the same after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery in 2012, but he went on to post a 3.62 ERA with 69 saves while pitching for nine teams across 2013-21.

Chris Capuano
First surgery: 2002 | Second surgery: 2008

Capuano was a serviceable big league arm during a 12-year career in which he posted a 4.38 ERA over 316 games (225 starts) for six teams, earning one All-Star selection along the way. The left-hander made 192 of those appearances and had a 4.37 ERA after undergoing Tommy John surgery a second time in 2008.

5 who struggled afterward

Josh Johnson
First surgery 2007 | Second surgery: 2014

Johnson made a successful comeback from his first Tommy John surgery in 2007, earning two All-Star selections (2009, 2010) and leading the NL with a 2.30 ERA over 183 2/3 innings for the Marlins in 2010. However, after being traded to the Blue Jays along with fellow All-Stars Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle in a 12-player blockbuster after the 2012 season, Johnson struggled for Toronto in 2013 (6.20 ERA) and required a second Tommy John surgery in 2014. He underwent a third Tommy John surgery while attempting a comeback and never threw another MLB pitch after his age-29 season.

Kris Medlen
First surgery: 2010 | Second surgery: 2014

Medlen’s first Tommy John return saw the right-hander post a sparkling 1.57 ERA over 138 innings for the Braves in 2012, followed by a 3.11 ERA over a career-high 197 innings in 2013. But he was never the same after his second Tommy John surgery. Medlen caught on with the Royals and won a World Series title as a swingman in 2015, but shoulder problems set him back in 2016, and he retired after allowing seven runs in one start for the D-backs in 2018.

Jarrod Parker
First surgery: 2009 | Second surgery: 2014

Selected ninth overall in the 2007 MLB Draft by the D-backs, Parker was traded to the A’s in the 2011 deal that sent Trevor Cahill to Arizona. But after posting a promising 3.73 ERA over 61 starts in 2012-13 (his age 23-24 seasons), Parker underwent his second Tommy John surgery shortly before Opening Day in 2014. The righty suffered numerous setbacks while attempting to come back and announced his retirement in 2018.

Brandon Beachy
First surgery: 2012 | Second surgery: 2014

Beachy was part of a promising crop of young Braves pitchers along with Mike Minor, Tommy Hanson, Randall Delgado and Medlen, each of whom debuted between 2009-11. But just like Medlen, Beachy was derailed by multiple Tommy John surgeries. Beachy broke out with a 3.68 ERA with 169 K’s over 141 2/3 innings in 2011 and was on track to earn his first All-Star selection when he recorded a 2.00 ERA over his first 13 starts of 2012. However, he underwent his first Tommy John surgery that year and needed another less than two years later. He was done after a brief return with the Dodgers in 2015, his age-28 season.

Brian Wilson
First surgery: 2003 | Second surgery: 2012

Known for his jet-black beard and colorful personality, Wilson had an excellent stretch as the Giants’ closer from 2008-11, collecting 163 saves with a 3.00 ERA during that time and helping San Francisco win a World Series title in 2010. However, his tenure with the Giants came to an end after he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2012. Wilson landed with the rival Dodgers during the 2013 campaign and put up a 0.66 ERA over 18 appearances down the stretch for Los Angeles before re-signing with the club in the offseason. However, after Wilson posted a 4.66 ERA over 61 games for the Dodgers in 2014, the club released him and he never pitched in the Majors again.