Yankees fans are less optimistic than Marlins fans in 2026

The New York Yankees are one of the top teams in the American League and the AL East. While it might not be an easy division to win, the Yankees are still capable of winning it all and making the postseason as a top contender for the World Series.

However, following an offseason where the Yankees decided, for the most part, to run it back, the fanbase not having a ton of optimism about where things stand going into the year isn't a major surprise, especially for a notoriously pessimistic fanbase.

However, as Stephen J. Nesbitt found for The Athletic's fan survey heading into 2026, Yankees fans are somehow less optimistic about their team than Miami Marlins fans are.

Yankees fans less optimistic than Marlins fans for 2026

The Athletic's survey found that 68.4 percent of Marlins fans have optimism for the 2026 season. In comparison, the Yankees fanbase has a 67.6 optimism score.

This number for the Yankees ranks 22nd in the Major Leagues for fanbase optimism. They are only 0.4 percentage points ahead of the Chicago White Sox fan base's optimism.

While these figures might seem like a major surprise, for the Yankees fanbase, it's not too shocking. The Yankees fanbase had a 68.1 optimism percentage in this same survey a year ago.

Back in 2024, they had an 80.7 optimism score, the highest of the five-years The Athletic has been doing these scores. In 2023, the Yankees ranked 18th at 71.1%, while 2022 saw the Yankees come in at 21st overall with only a 48% optimism score.

Things have changed, and for the better, for the Yankees. But there are plenty of things to be worried about or dislike about the team.

More: Luis Gil sent down to minor leagues in strange Yankees roster move

Deciding to run it back, and spending so much on Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, and bringing Paul Goldschmidt back, doesn't exactly boost confidence in the team.

Add on that Jasson Dominguez has been a bit disappointing, the injuries to Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon, and Anthony Volpe's struggles, and it's no wonder there is pessimism within the Yankees fan base.

They should still be more optimistic than Marlins fans, who traded away a lot of players in the last few years and are in the middle of a rebuild.

But, according to this survey, which got more than 11,000 fan responses across all 30 teams, Yankees fans are less optimistic than Marlins fans about the 2026 season and the future of their teams.

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