Yankees finally using Devin Williams correctly vs. Astros had a hilarious wrinkle

On Sunday afternoon, the New York Yankees found the perfect "lane" for a dead-behind-the-eyes Devin Williams, pitching him in the sixth inning of a game the team trailed 4-0. It wasn't quite "low-leverage," exactly; the game still would've been winnable for a team with more consistent heart and momentum, and the Yankees set Williams up to face Jeremy Peña and Carlos Correa. Still, he's got to be used sometime, and after his blown save in Texas, that time cannot be late in a tie game or with a slim lead, until further notice.

It took several weeks too long, but the Yankees got the message on Sunday and Williams dominated, slicing through the Astros the way he was intended to when he was acquired. Houston was completely caught in between, whiffing on high heaters that played up and screwing themselves to the dirt on nasty changeups.

Congratulations to manager Aaron Boone, who may finally have figured out that -- I'm sorry? Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry.

It wasn't even Aaron Boone, who limply tried to fire up his team with an ejection to tepid applause earlier in the game. It was fill-in manager Brad Ausmus who knew how and when to press the Williams button. Great.

Yankees finally use Devin Williams properly, and the decision isn't even Aaron Boone's

This is in no way an endorsement of Brad Ausmus as the next Yankees manager. It's merely an endorsement of ... well, anyone else other than the man currently occupying the seat. It's an endorsement of anyone on earth who knows when to hold Devin Williams and when to fold him. It's an endorsement of your Uncle Bruno — you know, the one with the used car dealership and can of onion dip. He gets it. Boone doesn't.

Boone, on the flip side, took the "last straw" from last week in Texas and somehow turned it into five more straws. Lacking the common sense to know that Williams, despite being a better "matchup" than Brent Headrick or Tim Hill, was going to light Friday night's game on fire in extra innings, Boone used him in a situation that can best be described as "George Costanza Driving Around the Parking Lot Dragging the World Series Trophy Behind His Car". With two outs in the 10th, Boone didn't even insert Headrick/Hill to face lefty Taylor Trammell or force a pinch-hitter; Trammell homered, putting the game out of reach. No fan would've been upset with Headrick or Hill losing the game to the same extent as they were on Friday night. It would've at least represented an acknowledgment of the problem and a hands-are-tied attempted solution. Not knowing that, or caring about it, is crazy.

Maybe Boone just needs to be ejected permanently? That could get Williams back in fans' good graces by the end of the month.