Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy apologized to New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman after a hot mic caught Murphy making a comment about first baseman Jake Bauers during the World Series 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 Yankees in 2023 when they went 82-80 and missed the playoffs.
Murphy said he called Cashman immediately after the comment went viral. "I called Brian Cashman right away when I heard it got out," Murphy said on the New York Post's "The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman." He explained he was not referring to the 2026 Yankees but to teams with many high-paid, long-contract players, using the Yankees as an example because Bauers had been with them.
Murphy described the remark as part of his ongoing humor with Bauers, saying he would often joke that Bauers would get a big contract and forget how the Brewers did things. He regretted the comment becoming public.
The incident highlights the private nature of manager-player relationships. Bauers earned $2.7 million last season, double his previous high, and is set for a significant payday in free agency. Unless Bauers signs elsewhere and criticizes Murphy, the matter appears likely to fade.
