Yankees' over-reliance on Giancarlo Stanton, Luke Weaver in ALCS Game 1 can't persist

The New York Yankees continue to just narrowly out-talent the opposition. They squeezed by the Kansas City Royals in the ALDS, and they just captured Game 1 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday night.

A 1-0 series lead. It feels good. It is good. But it all just continues to feel like the Yankees are benefitting from their opponents being that much worse or inexperienced. as they continue to leave the door open.

Had Bobby Witt Jr. not gone 2-for-17 with zero extra-base hits or RBI in the ALDS, we really don't know what the outcome would have been. The same could be said if Matt Quatraro hadn't made multiple serious managerial gaffes over the course of those four games. But hey, there's something to be said about the Yankees' approach to Witt and Aaron Boone making winning decisions. Some luck may have been involved, too, much like Monday.

In the opening ALCS game, the Yankees once again just barely got by in their 5-2 victory thanks to ineptitude from Cleveland. The Guardians pitching staff walked seven hitters. Two scored on wild pitches. Another scored on a sac fly thanks to two wild pitches that advanced Gleyber Torres from first to third.

Other than that? Juan Soto hit his first postseason home run as a Yankee. Giancarlo Stanton hit his 13th postseason home run as a Yankee. Both were solo shots. And the rest of the team went 3-for-23 with zero extra-base hits. With runners in scoring position, the Yanks went a classic 0-for-7. They had the same amount of his as the Guardians (six) and made a late error that nearly tipped the scales (Anthony Rizzo botched a grounder to first base that put the tying run at the plate in the eighth inning before Boone had to call upon Luke Weaver).

Yankees vs Guardians ALCS: New York takes Game 1 in the Bronx

Don't get us wrong. We will take a win under any circumstances. But soon enough we will need one that doesn't look exactly like the rest have. New York only outscored Kansas City 14-12 and they still couldn't break things open against an exhausted Guardians side that started 36-year-old Alex Cobb, who only made five starts this year.

Boone ended up having to use Clay Holmes and Weaver in this one. Those two have pitched in every postseason game so far. Maybe it'll continue to work out, but the risk of exhaustion is very real (Holmes threw 63 innings during the regular season and Weaver tossed 84). Every game this offense forces the pitching staff to grind against an underwhelming/inferior opponent, the greater likelihood they will be exposed to melt down in a much more high-pressure matchup.

There's no such thing as an easy postseason series, but even the average fan is likely noticing the Yankees seemingly getting more of a free pass than any other team in October thus far.

On the flip side? The bullpen continues to step up and shut down anybody in its path. Outside of Tim Hill's hiccup in the seventh on Monday, Weaver secured a five-out save while Holmes was spotless in his inning of work against the Guardians 4-6 hitters.

Carlos Rodón also stepped up with six innings of one-run ball and nine strikeouts. Those performances were a pleasure to watch and deserve all the credit for lifting the Yankees, but without Stephen Vogt being forced to leave erratic reliever Joey Cantillo in the game to throw 14 balls out of his 21 pitches, this could've very well been a 2-2 burner late.

Both teams' No. 1 starters will be going in Game 2 on Tuesday. Gerrit Cole will square off against Tanner Bibee, and the Yanks will need Cole to out-duel the young right-hander because Cleveland now has a fully rested bullpen with their most valuable relievers ready to roll.

The bats better get going or else we could be looking at a 1-1 series tie going back to Cleveland for three road games. That's not something the Yankees can afford with an overused bullpen and their Game 4 starter (Luis Gil) having not pitched since Sept. 28.

Hate to bring the vibes down, but this postseason run just couldn't feel more open-ended at the moment. The bright side? All it'll take is one convincing win for fans to feel that much better.