While Cinderella Guardians have nothing to lose in ALCS, same cannot be said for big-money Yankees

To compare baseball’s final four to the actual Final Four, this would be like having UConn, Duke, North Carolina, and College of Charleston left standing. The Guardians are 21st at $140.3 million. Their highest-paid player, All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez, makes $20.14 million a season. There are 13 Dodgers, Mets, and Yankees who earn more. NEW YORK — The Mets ($350.2 million), Dodgers ($339.9 million), and Yankees ($314.6 million) have the three highest payrolls in baseball based on luxury tax calculations. The Cinderella Guardians arrived at Yankees Stadium on Sunday less than 24 hours after winning Game 5 of the Division Series against the Tigers at Progressive Field. Cleveland finished 76-86 last season and hired 39-year-old Stephen Vogt to replace Terry Francona as manager. But there was no reset as the Guardians reached the ALCS for the first time since 2016. “We worry about us,” Vogt said Sunday. “We’ve taken that with every series all year long. We can control what we can, and we know the Yankees are good. They played us tough. This is a really good team we’re about to go up against. “But we’re confident in who we are, and that’s all we can control is us. It is going to be a fun series, and we’re really looking forward to it.” Whatever happens this week, the Guardians have had a good season. The same cannot be said for the Yankees, who haven’t been to the World Series since winning it in 2009. They are 7-20 in five appearances in the ALCS since, getting outscored by 40 runs. They took three of four from the Royals despite scoring only 14 runs in the series. “We didn’t break through big time runs-wise, but I thought our guys had a lot of really good at-bats,” manager Aaron Boone, who survived finishing fourth last season, said. “The amount of walks we had [27, against 28 strikeouts], I felt like out there, that’s what we do. “I thought our at-bat quality was heavy, strong. Hopefully in this series we’re able to break through more and throw some crooked [numbers] on there. “But I thought we did a lot of really good things. I feel like guys are in a really good place heading into this series.” Aaron Judge drew five of those walks but otherwise reached base only twice, scored two runs, and didn’t drive in any. He has a .579 OPS in his last 21 postseason games with only six extra-base hits and eight RBIs. Judge has faced Cleveland in the postseason three previous times in his career. He is 6 of 49 (.122) with 21 strikeouts and three RBIs over 12 games. All three of those came on solo home runs. “I’ll take four bloop singles at this point. It’s just part of it,” Judge said after the Yankees eliminated the Royals. “Focus on what you can do. Even if you’re 0 for 4, 0 for 3, even if it’s the first at-bat of the game, you’ve got to focus on what you are you going to do in this at-bat, this situation, if there’s guys on, if you’re starting an inning. “That’s all I’m doing is trying to treat it just like the regular season, go out there and help the team win a game.” With Juan Soto determinedly headed for free agency, the window is open for the Yankees now. They also have four actual starters lined up to pitch in Carlos Rodón, Gerrit Cole, Clark Schmidt, and Luis Gil. The Guardians have Alex Cobb, Tanner Bibee, and they’re not sure after that. They used an average of six pitchers in the Division Series games as Vogt matched up with a deep bullpen. Where Cleveland does have an advantage is Ramirez is one of the best hitters — and best clutch hitters — in the game. Closer Emmanuel Clase allowed three runs to take the loss in Game 2 of the Division Series but saved the final two games, working two perfect innings in Game 5. That and the pressure is on the Yankees. “We certainly understand that we’re playing for a pennant now, for the right to go to the World Series,” Boone said. “So you’re aware of that. But you’re also like, man, it’s Game 1. That’s where we’re trying to get ready for that. In a lot of ways, that’s a long ways off still, and we’ve got a series to play out. So you understand what’s at stake, but it’s all about the game in front of us.” Peter Abraham can be reached at peter.abraham@globe.com. Follow him @PeteAbe.