New York Yankees fans being won over by Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s honesty about losing starting shortstop job this year: "Just wants to help the team win" 

After endless months of wanting him gone, New York Yankees fans are being won over by utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

One of the members of the Yankees' "Mount Hatemore" for most of his time in pinstripes, New Yorkers are starting to figure out that they have a gamer in the sixth-year MLB veteran.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa started 138 games at shortstop for the New York Yankees in 2022. He batted .261 with 22 stolen bases, and managed to hit even better — .278 — in last year's playoffs. Not bad for a one-time Gold Glove defense-first middle infielder.

And yet, Yankee Nation loved to loathe him. New Yorkers were more interested in Kiner-Falefa being moved out of town rather than moved to the outfield this spring as rookie Anthony Volpe debuted with the promise of being the second-coming of Derek Jeter.

After Wednesday's game against the Baltimore Orioles, he was asked by reporters about losing his starting role and becoming a jack of all trades for the Yankees this season. He responded:

"I don't think my numbers last year were good enough to hold the spot. It is what it is. I didn't do good enough last year. I was given another opportunity to be here, so I'm just trying to do everything I can to show what I can do and prove why I'm here."

And suddenly, the hate of a fan base turns into devoted love.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa came to the New York Yankees from the Minnesota Twins in the Josh Donaldson trade last March. After four decent years with the Texas Rangers (he never played for the Twins), he took over as New York's primary shortstop last season.

Perhaps because he was just another man that wasn't the next Jeter, he never lived up to even the low expectations that Yankees fans had for him. He began this spring part of Yankee Nation's triumvirate of hate along with Aaron Hicks and Donaldson.

These days, Hicks is gone and Donaldson hasn't been seen in over a month due to injury. And now, apparently, Kiner-Falefa is just the kind of player New York needs.

Quite a few New York Yankees fans out there scrubbing their social media of any previous Isiah Kiner-Falefa mentions.

Kiner-Falefa is still hitting a career-low .211, so we'll see how long the Yankee love lasts.

New York Yankees fans hearts have thawed for Isiah Kiner-Falefa — for now

Isiah Kiner-Falefa #12 of the New York Yankees is congratulated by his teammates after hitting a home run

Yankees fans either love or hate their players with immense passion. Kiner-Falefa is on the verge of becoming one of the few to break out of the hate category.