Brewers Manager Pat Murphy Explains Viral Yankees Comments and Call to Brian Cashman

Brewers Manager Pat Murphy Explains Viral Yankees Comments and Call to Brian Cashman

by

Pat Murphy picked up the phone and called Brian Cashman the morning after his profane on-field remark about the Yankees went viral, a damage-control move that came during Milwaukee’s World Series parade, Yahoo Sports reported. The Brewers manager reached out to the Yankees general manager within hours of learning that video of his exchange with first baseman Jake Bauers had spread across social media.

The moment captured Murphy embracing Bauers after the Brewers’ five-game victory in the 2026 Fall Classic, then telling their pending free agent, “You’re going to be a rich f*er. Just remember when you’re on that horses* Yankees team and you guys are all playing for yourself, just remember this is the way we used to do it.” Bauers laughed and replied, “You ain’t getting rid of me that easy,” but the clip drew sharp reactions from Yankees fans and front-office observers alike.

The Call During the Parade

Murphy addressed the fallout Tuesday during an appearance on the New York Post’s “The Show” podcast, where he said he phoned Cashman immediately after discovering the comments had leaked. “I called Brian Cashman right away when I heard it got out,” Murphy said. “I heard the next morning, we’re at the parade and everybody was talking about it. I was like, ‘What? How did they hear that?’ You know, hot mic. I’m like, ‘Ah, whatever.’ So I picked up the phone and called Brian right away and had a good conversation.”

an appearance on the New York Post's "The Show" podcast

The manager said he tried to clarify that he was not attacking the current Yankees roster. “The best I could, I tried to explain that I wasn’t talking about the 2026 Yankees,” Murphy told the Post. He described Cashman as “just such a good guy” and “levelheaded,” adding, “He’s been through so much. I wish I had his demeanor and his way of handling things. I felt horribly if I slandered the Yankees because I was just referring to them as this iconic machine.”

“You Rich So-and-So”: The Running Joke

Murphy explained that his comments to Bauers were part of a long-running bit between the two men tied to the first baseman’s impending free agency. “After every celebration, I’d shake his hand, I’d say, ‘You rich so-and-so. You’re going to leave us, we’re not going to be able to pay you. You’re going to leave us and you’re going to forget how you did things, how you were using the opposite field, taking your walks, all the things that made you great,'” Murphy said. “I would just give him this rhetoric every time, ‘You’ll forget all about us.'”

“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.”

Bauers played one season with the Yankees in 2023 before being traded to Milwaukee in November 2023, a detail that gave Murphy’s joke its specific bite. The first baseman, who led the Brewers with 26 home runs during the regular season and was named NLCS MVP, appeared to enjoy the moment in the video, laughing as he hugged his manager after presenting him with the game ball from the final out.

Cameras, Not a Hot Mic

Though Murphy initially dubbed it a hot-mic moment, the circumstances suggest otherwise. Cameras and media members surrounded the pair on the field in Tampa Bay after Game 5, with someone clearly holding a device to document a player handing his manager a baseball of enormous significance. The distinction matters because it shows Murphy did not know he was being recorded in a private moment, but rather was caught in a celebratory exchange that was always intended for public consumption.

Brewers Manager Pat Murphy Explains Viral Yankees Comments and Call to Brian Cashman
Photo: ca.sports.yahoo.com

Yankees Weigh Murphy’s Comments Amid Playoff Struggles

The Yankees organization has long carried a reputation for prioritizing high-payroll acquisitions, a narrative Murphy’s words tapped into even if unintentionally. New York secured 93 victories in 2026 and reached the postseason for the ninth time in a 10-year span, yet faces constant scrutiny when falling short of a championship. Whether the non-Cashman members of the Yankees front office accept Murphy’s explanation remains an open question, though the direct line between two of baseball’s most respected executives likely helped defuse immediate tension.

For Bauers, the episode lands at a critical financial juncture. The 2026 season marked his first time playing more than 120 games, and his combination of power and postseason production has positioned him for a significant payday in free agency. Murphy’s joke about Bauers forgetting “how we did things” plays directly into the leverage the first baseman now holds on the open market, where he could command a long-term contract from a big-spending franchise.

What Happens Next

Murphy is in his third season as Brewers manager and is overwhelmingly favored to take home a third straight NL Manager of the Year award next week, an honor that will be announced following the conclusion of the awards season. Bauers remains unsigned with free agency underway, and his market value will be shaped by whether teams view his 2026 breakout as sustainable or a career-year outlier.

Disclaimer: The analytical insights and data provided in this article are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or sports betting recommendations.

More on Brian Cashman

Worth a look

Read next