Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy appears to have one regret after October’s World Series-winning streak.
The baseball veteran drew significant attention following Brewers’ five-game victory in the 2016 Fall Classic after being caught on camera catching a game-ending ball from first baseman Jake Bauers. Murphy hugged Bauers, a pen hanging from the famous free agent writer, and then said the following:
“You’re going to be rich. Just remember when you’re on the *** Yankees team and the guys are all playing for you, just remember that’s the way we used to do it.”
Bauers laughed off the comment, saying, “I’m not going to be easy to get rid of,” but Yankees fans were less amused.
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Murphy discussed the matter during an appearance on the New York Post’s “The Show” on Tuesday and said he called Yankees general manager Brian Cashman after investigating his time with Bauers on social media. He threatened the hot mic moment;
“I immediately called Brian Cashman when he came out … I heard the next morning, we’re at the parade and everybody’s talking. You know, hot mic. I’m like, ‘Ah, whatever.’ So he picked up the phone and immediately called Brian and had a good conversation. As best I could, I tried to explain that I wasn’t talking about the 2026 Yankees.
“He’s just a good guy. He’s fair — he’s been through so much. I wish I had the attitude and the way to handle it. I felt terrible if he defamed the Yankees because I was just referring to them for this iconic machine.”
Pat Murphy was referring to the Yankees concept, apparently.
(Erick W. Rasco via Getty Images)
Perhaps it’s worth noting that this moment wasn’t really a hot mic, which means Murphy didn’t know he was being recorded. In this case, the person obviously had a camera or phone to document the moment, handing the ball to the player’s manager with a huge meaning for both parties. Cameras and media members were around them.
As for the exact meaning of Murphy’s comment, the manager said Bauers was approaching payday, it was a joke between them and the Yankees only meant abstractly.
“We had a little one. After each celebration, I would shake his hand, I would say, ‘Rich and yes.’
“I didn’t want to say these Yankees, like 2026 or whatever the Yankees are competing with. I’m just referring to the teams that pay a lot of high-paid, long-term contract players. Sometimes it’s more difficult to get all those guys to play together at the same time. I use the Yankees because I knew Jake with them before.”
It remains to be seen if the non-Cashman members of the Yankees organization will accept that explanation, but it’s hardly the most important thing for both the team and the players right now.
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Murphy, in his third season as Brewers manager, is heavily favored to take home a third consecutive NL Manager of the Year award next week.
Bauers has been playing in the MLB since 2018, but this season is his first time playing more than 120 games in a season. He led the Brewers in scoring with 26 points during the regular season and won the NLCS MVP.