Manager Pat Murphy made a controversial remark about the New York Yankees while celebrating the Milwaukee Brewers’ World Series title following their 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5.

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

Murphy embraced Bauers before turning the conversation toward 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 during the offseason.

Murphy then used expletives while criticizing the Yankees and suggesting their players competed for themselves. He urged Bauers to remember Milwaukee’s team-oriented approach after signing with another organization.

“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 developing into a postseason hero for the Brewers, Bauers played for a Yankees team that finished 82-80 and missed the postseason in 2023.

Murphy did not realize that the conversation was being recorded. His remarks were probably not intended as a specific criticism of the Yankees.

Instead, they appeared to represent a broader comparison between Milwaukee and big-market organizations operating through established players and expensive contracts.

According to ESPN, Murphy apologized to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who said the gesture meant a great deal to him.

Cashman explained Tuesday at the general managers meetings that Murphy contacted the Yankees within 12 hours of experiencing one of the greatest moments of his life outside the birth of his children.

Murphy recognized that a live microphone had captured something he regretted and made the effort to locate Cashman and apologize.

“He took the time on the greatest -- within 12 hours, arguably some of the greatest times that he’s had walking this planet Earth outside of the birth of his kids -- to realize that he said something that he regretted, that he’s caught on a live mic,” Cashman said.

“He wanted to take the time, track us down over here at the lowly New York Yankees to make sure he would apologize for that, so that meant a lot to me.”

Cashman said Murphy explained that he uses anything available to motivate his players.

Murphy, who won the National League Manager of the Year award on Tuesday, described Cashman as gracious and kind throughout their conversation.

Murphy also clarified that he did not intend to single out the Yankees. He was referring generally to a big-market organization that signs established players to numerous long-term contracts.

Murphy acknowledged that he could have mentioned the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants or another organization instead.

“I didn’t mean to specifically talk about the Yankees necessarily,” Murphy explained. “It was kind of like this big-market team that signs a lot of long-term deals and guys that are established. ... I could have used anybody’s name. I could have said the Dodgers or the Giants or whoever.”

The exchange also reflected how highly Murphy regards Bauers. The first baseman embraced Milwaukee’s collective approach and became an important part of a World Series team without placing individual recognition ahead of winning.