Murphy's Call to Cashman Halts Brewers-Yankees Scandal.

Pat Murphy made his move before the storm cleared.

The Brewers manager picked up the phone and dialed Brian Cashman the moment he learned his comments about the Yankees had leaked to the public.

According to the New York Post, Murphy reached out right away to explain that his words were never meant to attack the current Yankees squad.

A JOKE THAT WENT TOO FAR

The viral clip captured Murphy celebrating after the Brewers won the World Series.

He told Jake Bauers, a soon-to-be free agent, to remember how the Yankees played for themselves.

Murphy said, "You rich so and so, you're going to leave us," while Bauers laughed.

He added, "We're not going to be able to pay you. You're going to leave us and you're going to forget all about how we did things."

The manager later clarified that this was just a running gag between him and Bauers, who played for New York in 2023.

Murphy admitted he was referring to teams with high-paid long-contract players, not the 2026 Yankees specifically.

It is easy to see why the clip caused a stir.

The Yankees have a long history of being labeled as a team that prioritizes money over team chemistry.

Murphy's words tapped into that old narrative, even if he did not intend to start a fire.

The fact that he was not aware he was being recorded makes the situation even more awkward.

Murphy told the New York Post that he regrets saying it, but that it was just humor behind the scenes.

CASHMAN TAKES THE CALL

Brian Cashman has dealt with criticism for decades, but a direct call from a World Series winning manager is rare.

Murphy said, "I called Brian Cashman right away when I heard it got out."

He had a good conversation with the Yankees general manager.

The Yankees organization has often dismissed outside noise, but this was a direct line to the top.

This season saw the Yankees secure 93 victories and make the postseason for the ninth time in a 10-year span.

They are a team that faces harsh scrutiny every time they fall short of a title.

Murphy's comments, though unintended, added fuel to the fire.

But his quick action to call Cashman shows he respects the game and the people who play it.

THE HOT MIC MOMENT

In the aftermath of the World Series championship, Brewers manager Pat Murphy was caught on a hot mic talking to first baseman and NLCS MVP Jake Bauers, who heads into free agency this winter off a career year.

Murphy's message? "You're gonna be a rich f---er, but just remember when you were on that horseshit Yankees team and you guys were all playing for yourself, just remember, say, 'this is the way we used to do it.'"

The comment, predictably, drew backlash from those who assumed Murphy was taking a shot at the Yankees.

Bauers was on the 2023 Yankees, when they went 82-80 and missed the playoffs.

"I called Brian Cashman right away when I heard it got out," Murphy said on the New York Post's "The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman" released on Tuesday.

"I picked up a phone and called Brian right away, and had a good conversation. And the best I could try to explain that I wasn't talking about the 2026 Yankees."

"After every celebration, I'd shake his hand. I'd say, 'You rich so-and-so, you're going to leave us,'" Murphy explained.

"We're not going to be able to pay you. You're going to leave us and you're going to forget all about how we did things. … I would just give him this rhetoric every time."

"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. … I regret saying it, but that was Jake and I's humor behind the scenes and I got caught."

A few things here.

First off, dudes talking to dudes when they don't realize anyone else is listening lends itself to a lot of comments they don't necessarily mean or, perhaps more importantly, don't include the context of a longstanding relationship between a manager and his player.

There isn't anything really out of line here in terms of the Yankees shot.

Any Yankees fan would tell you they agree with Murphy's assessment of that team.

Where I do believe there's a problem is the insinuation that a player getting a huge payday means that he'll just start playing only for himself instead of doing things as a team.

The Dodgers' high individual salaries certainly didn't stop them from winning two straight World Series titles.

Further, Bauers made $2.7 million last season, double his previous high.

MLB players have a finite shelf life and need the money they make to stretch, if they're lucky, for generations.

He's set to make exponentially more this winter.

YANKEES HOT STOVE UPDATE

As the saying goes, "When Jack Curry speaks, Yankees fans listen," and that much was the case on Wednesday night during an episode of "Yankees Hot Stove" on the YES Network.

Curry had some offseason updates for fans as the Bombers navigate these weeks prior to the inevitable lockout.

Where to start?

We can get the general news out of the way, and that's Curry saying he expects the Yankees to be "active on all fronts" leading up to Dec. 1.

That sounds like a "no duh" situation, but if you remember the month prior to the 2021 lockout, the Yankees did nothing meaningful.

Brian Cashman acquired TJ Rumfield from the Phillies and traded Tyler Wade to the Angels, then stood there while a number of contenders ate the Yankees' lunch.

Curry relaying this news is certainly more encouraging than silence, but we'll believe it when we see it.

The Yankees famously do not move fast at the start of the offseason and do not get aggressive when they're under the gun with time.

Cody Bellinger could move to center field for Yankees in 2027.

Curry said it's believed Gold Glove left fielder Cody Bellinger could move to center field next year, which suggests a number of things.

The first of which is that they do not believe in Spencer Jones as a legitimate CF option.

The second is that they might be serious about pursuing a corner outfielder who can help upgrade the offense.

That could be Randy Arozarena, Seiya Suzuki or Ian Happ.

Our rebuttal? Bellinger is the best defensive left fielder in the game.

Keep him there or else you lose tremendous value.

None of Arozarena, Suzuki or Happ would move the needle much for the New York, and Arozarena and Suzuki will cost significant money and a draft pick since the qualifying offer is attached to them.

Once again, the Yankees roster remains a mess.

They're constantly moving players around when it feels like there's little need to do so.

Ryan McMahon could be on the way out this offseason.

Curry said the Yankees organization "has a great deal of respect for McMahon, but see third base as an area of need."

This alludes to the reality that the Yankees favor feelings/status over the correct decision making.

There's no need to preface anything else.