Overview
- The Athletic’s Hope-O-Meter, released Monday, put Yankees fan optimism at 67.6% for 22nd overall, just below Marlins fans at 68.4% from more than 11,000 responses.
- The Yankees opened 2026 with a road sweep of the Giants and now visit Seattle, underscoring the gap between on-field results and fan mood.
- Coverage links the lower score to an unpopular choice to largely run it back, including big spending on Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham and the return of Paul Goldschmidt.
- Health worries for the rotation, including injuries to Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón, and recent struggles by Jasson Dominguez and Anthony Volpe also shape fan doubts.
- Other contenders show cooler confidence too, with the Phillies ranked 18th at a little over 70%, and Yankees optimism has slid from 80.7% in 2024 to 68.1% in 2025 to 67.6% in 2026.