Brewers Manager Calls Yankees GM After Viral Hot Mic Incident

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy apologized directly to New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman after a hot mic captured Murphy making a profanity-laced remark about the rival team. The incident occurred immediately following the Brewers' World Series championship victory.

During the celebration, Murphy told first baseman Jake Bauers that he was going to get rich. He also made a disparaging reference to the Yankees, suggesting that players on that club had been playing for themselves. The audio clip spread rapidly online, prompting backlash from observers who interpreted the comment as a direct attack on the Yankees organization.

Bauers, who was named the NLCS MVP, spent the 2023 season with New York. That team finished with an 82-80 record and missed the postseason. Murphy explained the context of his words on the New York Post podcast 'The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman,' which aired Tuesday.

Murphy stated that he called Cashman as soon as he learned the audio had been released. 'I picked up a phone and called Brian right away, and had a good conversation,' Murphy said. He added that he explained he was not criticizing the 2026 Yankees specifically.

The manager described the comment as part of a recurring joke between him and Bauers. Murphy said he would shake the first baseman's hand after every celebration and tease him about upcoming pay raises. He noted that he expected the Brewers would not be able to afford Bauers and that the player might forget how the club operated once he departed.

'I was just referring to the teams that have a lot of high-paid, long-contract players,' Murphy said. 'That sometimes it's harder to get all those guys together to play together. And I used the Yankees because I knew Jake was with them before.' Murphy expressed regret over the remark but framed it as private humor caught on a live microphone.

Bauers earned $2.7 million in 2025, which was double his previous career high. He is now eligible for free agency and is expected to sign a much larger contract following his MVP performance. Murphy indicated the conversation with Cashman went well, and there has been no public sign that the Yankees general manager took offense to the comment.