Dr. David Altchek, a renowned orthopedic surgeon and longtime New York Mets medical director, has died at 68.

There is a bridge that runs from Tommy John and Dr. Frank Jobe in 1974, all the way to Justin Verlander and Bryce Harper.

1974: The first ulnar collateral ligament replacement surgery is performed by orthopedic surgeon Frank Jobe on baseball player Tommy John. The now common procedure became known as Tommy John surgery after John, who went on to win 164 moreTommy John surgery, a procedure designed to reconstruct a torn elbow ligament, is routinely performed on Major League Baseball pitchers. In fact, one study shows the number of athletes between the ages of 15 and 19 needing Tommy John surgery rose by more than 50% since it was first performed in 1974. Doctors believe the uptick in surgeries among youth athletes is often the result of too much, too soon. A 2017 study shows non-surgical management can provide equivalent outcomes for specific types of medial ligament injuries.