Cubs fans surge with unprecedented optimism, landing sixth on the Hope-O-Meter thanks to key signings and a revamped bullpen. A deep postseason run feels within reach.
There is a lot of hope surrounding the Chicago Cubs for the 2026 season.
The front office picked up two significant players this offseason in Alex Bregman and Edward Cabrera and signed both Pete Crow-Armstrong and Nico Hoerner to long-term extensions. The Cubs also did a nice job revamping their bullpen.
All those moves have Cubs fans feeling optimistic for what’s to come this season.
The Athletic ran its annual Hope-O-Meter survey, which examines which fans are most hopeful about their teams entering the season. More than 11,000 fans participated in this year’s survey for The Athletic.
To no surprise, Dodgers fans are the most optimistic about their team for the 2026 season. They come in at 99.8% on the Hope-O-Meter, and that might be even too low for a team that has won back-to-back World Series titles.
The Cubs come in at No. 6 on this list with a 92.4 percent optimism rating. Their sixth spot on the Hope-O-Meter is only behind the Dodgers (99.8%), Blue Jays (96.2%), Mariners (95.7%), Tigers (95%), and Royals (94.5%).
It’s clear that Cubs fans are hopeful that this team can do some damage this year. Chicago is fresh off its first postseason appearance in a while and advanced to the National League Divisional Series for the first time since the 2017 season.
The North Siders also finally spent some money this offseason. Signing Bregman to a massive five-year, $175 million contract definitely resonated with fans following so many years of limited offseason spending.
Here are what two Cubs fans said in that Athletic survey about their optimism level for this team in 2026:
Optimist Jonathan: The front office finally delivering on a high-priced free agent has made this roster feel more complete than any team since the 2016 core.
Optimist Ryan: Almost the exact same core from last season, swapping Kyle Tucker for Alex Bregman, but pitching upgrades have me feeling confident in a division win.
Cubs fans are more optimistic than ever, with a 92.4 percent optimism rating — the highest since the Athletic began this survey five years ago. Back in 2022, only 17.6 percent of fans felt hopeful. That number climbed to 52.3 percent in 2023, then jumped to 90.9 percent in 2024 before dipping to 79.5 percent ahead of the 2025 season.
With a 92.4 percent optimism rating this year, Cubs fans certainly believe that a deep postseason run is possible.