Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across Major League Baseball. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Yankees fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Last week, we polled Yankees fans about how they envisioned the 2026 regular season ending for the ol’ Bombers. Only 24 percent said that they thought the Yanks would overtake the upstart Rays in the second half and win the AL East, though 58 percent maintained that they would still
make the playoffs as a Wild Card, with the plurality of the options in the poll—35 percent—adding that New York would be the top Wild Card and host a best-of-three first-round series.
Had we sent this survey to fans during a different week when the Yanks weren’t in midst of a 4-14 stretch, perhaps the results would have been different. But even now after sweeping the Nationals to finish the second half on a better 5-2 road trip (splitting a tough Rays series in Tropicana Field as well), it’s clear that the Yankees have work to do. A three-game deficit sits in front of them, and unless they sweep a four-game set against the Rays in September, it might as well be four because Tampa Bay holds the tiebreaker. They’re most likely safe to make the playoffs because they hold a 6.5-game lead on the last Wild Card spot, but there are enough clubs at least vaguely in the mix that if a couple get hot, then it could get tense there as well.
In this week’s survey, we want you to predict the Yankees’ October, months ahead when the roster will look at least a little different due to the unforeseen injuries, players like Aaron Judge and Max Fried ideally returning to health, and any Trade Deadline tweaks. Do you think they’ll get themselves in good enough shape to win their 28th World Series, or at least to advance to their second in three years? Will they fall short somewhere in the AL playoffs? If so, where?
Vote in the poll and we’ll check out the results around the time the second half begins. A challenge awaits with those two-time defending champion Dodgers coming to the Bronx on Friday.
