Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy apologized to New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman after a hot-mic comment about first baseman Jake Bauers went viral following the World Series.
During a post-championship celebration, Murphy was recorded telling Bauers, who is heading into free agency after a career year: "You're gonna be a rich f---er, but just remember when you were on that horseshit Yankees team and you guys were all playing for yourself, just remember, say, 'this is the way we used to do it.'" Bauers played for the 2023 Yankees, who finished 82-80 and missed the playoffs.
Murphy said he called Cashman immediately after the comment surfaced. "I picked up a phone and called Brian right away, and had a good conversation. And the best I could try to explain that I wasn't talking about the 2026 Yankees," Murphy said on the New York Post's "The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman."
Murphy clarified that his remark referred to teams with many high-paid, long-contract players, which he believes can make it harder for those players to gel as a unit. He used the Yankees as a reference because Bauers had been on that roster. "I regret saying it, but that was Jake and I's humor behind the scenes and I got caught," Murphy added.
The incident has drawn mixed reactions. Some observers note that Murphy's assessment of the 2023 Yankees aligns with many fans' views, while others question the implication that a lucrative contract leads to selfish play. The Dodgers, for example, have won two straight World Series titles despite high individual salaries. Bauers earned $2.7 million last season, double his previous high, and is in line for a significant payday in free agency to secure his family's future.
Unless Bauers signs elsewhere and publicly criticizes Murphy, the episode is likely to fade as a minor offseason story. Cashman is not expected to take lasting offense.
