With Judge out of lineup, Yankees ride small-ball approach to win

The New York Yankees defeated the Cleveland Guardians 2-1 on June 4th, 2026, at Yankee Stadium without star outfielder Aaron Judge, who sat out the Cleveland series for testing on his right shoulder and rib cage, including a consultation with thoracic outlet syndrome specialist Dr. Gregory J. Pearl. The winning run came via a small-ball sequence: Jazz Chisholm Jr. walked, stole second, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on Ryan McMahon's tiebreaking single in the right side. McMahon and manager Aaron Boone both acknowledged Judge's absence while expressing confidence in the team's ability to win through alternative offensive approaches.