Manager Pat Murphy made a comment about the New York Yankees while celebrating the Milwaukee Brewers’ World Series victory after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 on Wednesday.

As Milwaukee’s players celebrated on the field, Jake Bauers approached Murphy and presented him with the baseball used to record the final out.

Murphy embraced Bauers before discussing the first baseman’s impending free agency.

According to JR Radcliffe and Curt Hogg from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Murphy told Bauers that his performance would make him rich this offseason.

Murphy then used expletives to criticize the Yankees and suggested that their players competed for themselves. He encouraged Bauers to remember how Milwaukee operated after joining another team.

“You’re going to be a rich f***er,” Murphy told Bauers. “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.”

Before emerging as a postseason hero with the Brewers, Bauers spent the 2023 season with a Yankees team that went 82-80 and failed to reach the postseason.

Murphy did not realize that the exchange was being recorded. In reality, his comments were probably not specifically directed at the Yankees. They appeared to address big-market teams generally and how their methods differ from Milwaukee’s approach.

Brewers closer Trevor Megill discussed the situation with Pat McAfee on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday.

Megill said Murphy felt terrible about his comments and would probably apologize to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and others within the organization. He emphasized that Murphy genuinely regretted what he said.

“He feels terrible Pat,” Megill explained. “I’m sure he’ll apologize to (Brian) Cashman and all the people over there. He genuinely feels terrible.”

Murphy’s Brewers embraced what the manager describes as an uncommon mindset. Milwaukee’s players competed for one another rather than prioritizing individual interests, culminating in the greatest season in franchise history.

During an era heavily influenced by payroll, the Brewers swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series and won the World Series without spending like a large-market organization.

Bauers will enter free agency and should attract significant interest. Unfortunately for Milwaukee, the team may no longer be able to afford him.

There is a perception that the 31-year-old performed well enough to earn a contract the Brewers will be unwilling to offer before the expected lockout begins in early December.

Bauers led Milwaukee during the regular season with 26 home runs and a .389 OBP in 144 games. He ranked third on the team with 86 RBIs and first among qualified hitters with an .874 OPS.

He then earned National League Championship Series MVP honors after hitting .286 with one double, one home run and six RBIs during Milwaukee’s four-game sweep of Los Angeles.

Bauers embodied the collective approach Murphy praised. He accepted the Brewers’ methods, contributed in important moments and became central to their postseason success.

That performance created the financial dilemma behind Murphy’s comments. Milwaukee helped Bauers reach his highest level, but his success may ultimately price him out of remaining with the team that made him a World Series champion.