Forty-four years of heartbreak, disappointment, and waiting finally came to an end, making the Milwaukee Brewers’ first World Series triumph an emotional roller coaster. And when the celebrations began, even Pat Murphy couldn’t keep his emotions in check. But amid the champagne showers and historic celebrations, one lighthearted exchange involving Jake Bauers and Murphy unexpectedly stole the spotlight.

As Bauers handed over the final ball to his manager in a goodwill gesture, Murphy couldn’t resist taking a playful dig at his former Yankees connection. What followed was an unfiltered, hot-mic moment that quickly went viral, with Murphy’s Yankees tirade grabbing headlines. “That horses— Yankees team,” where “you guys were all playing for yourself,” Murphy was caught uttering that moment.  

Now, speaking with Jon Heyman on a podcast, the Brewers skipper has finally opened up about what he really meant.

“I would just give them this rhetoric every time, ‘Oh no, you’ll forget all about us.’ So I didn’t mean to say these Yankees, like the 2026 or whatever Yankees, are selfish. I was just referring to the teams that have a lot of high-paid, long-contract
players; sometimes it’s harder to get all those guys together to play together. I use the Yankees because I knew Jake was with them before,” Murphy said via The Show with Jon Heyman.

Murphy used the Yankees as shorthand for ultra-wealthy teams with massive individual contracts, which he said can make alignment harder. He noted that when organizations are filled with massive individual contracts, it can be harder to align everyone. He contrasted it with the Brewers’ “junkyard dog” team chemistry.

The Yankees acquired Bauers from the Cincinnati Reds in 2022 in exchange for cash considerations. The Yankees were plagued by outfield injuries, most notably to Aaron Judge. So, Bauers was thrust into regular playing time. He appeared in 84 games and split time between the outfield corners and first base.

But following the 2023 season, the Yankees chose not to retain Bauers. He was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers ahead of the 2024 season. Yet just as Murphy realized his hot mic moment, he took no time to call and made things clear with the Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman.

“Called Brian Cashman right away when I heard (my comments) got out,” Murphy added. “I tried to explain that I wasn’t talking about the 2026 Yankees. I was just referring to the teams with a lot of money that sign a lot of players that sometimes end up not being that ‘Little Engine that Could,’ so to speak — more of a high expectation, ‘I gotta get mine.’ I regret saying it.”

It’s understandable how emotions ran high through the Brewers clubhouse after winning the World Series. Credit to Pat Murphy for taking his $146 million team beyond the finish line, and also admitting the mistake if his words hurt another team.

Murphy’s quick call to Cashman showed his commitment to professionalism.