Murphy apologizes for comment about Yankees after winning World Series

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brewers' Pat Murphy apologizes for viral comment about Yankees after winning World Series

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Nov 3, 2026 7:49 PM ET

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy threw shade at the New York Yankees after winning the World Series. He wishes he hadn't.

While celebrating with first baseman and pending free agent Jake Bauers after beating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 of the Fall Classic, Murphy joked, "Just remember when you're on that horsesh— Yankees team and you guys are all playing for yourselves, just remember this is the way we used to do it."

Pat Murphy apologizes for Yankees comment

Murphy said he didn't realize he was on a hot mic, and when the comment went viral, he called Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to apologize.

"I called Brian Cashman right away when my comments got out," Murphy told the podcast "The Show" for an episode published Tuesday. "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."

Pat Murphy explains the "horses--t Yankees" comment and reveals that he called Brian Cashman to talk about it.

The Show with @Joelsherman1 & @JonHeyman --> https://t.co/pCkb7MaJxk pic.twitter.com/VpsENSTDRH
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) November 3, 2026

Murphy said he regularly told Bauers, "We're not going to be able to pay you," throughout his stellar postseason. During the playoffs, he slashed .191/.345/.277 with six RBI and one home run and won National League Championship Series MVP. Spotrac estimates he could land a four-year, $57.87M deal before the anticipated December lockout.

Murphy clarified he was referring to several big-market teams with outrageous payrolls. He didn't mean to single out the Yankees.

"I felt horribly if I slandered the Yankees, because I was just kind of referring to them as this iconic machine," Murphy said. "It wasn't smart on my part, and I'm sorry about it."

Murphy's comment was uncouth, but it contained a kernel of truth. The Yankees haven't won a World Series since 2009 despite often featuring big payrolls. Per Spotrac, the Yankees had the third-biggest payroll ($308.33M) in Major League Baseball in 2026. The Brewers, meanwhile, had the 19th-biggest ($146.73M).

Money can buy top players. But it doesn't always buy championships.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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