Brewers Secure First World Series Title; Pat Murphy Criticizes Yankees During Celebration

Milwaukee defeated Tampa Bay 4-1 in Game 5 to win the World Series, led by NLCS MVP Jake Bauers who caught the final out.

The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field to secure the first World Series championship in franchise history. Jake Bauers, who caught the final out of the series-clinching victory, is scheduled to become a free agent this offseason following a 2026 campaign where he recorded career highs in batting average (.266), home runs (26), and RBIs (86). Bauers earned NLCS MVP honors after hitting .286 with six RBIs during a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

During the on-field celebration, Brewers manager Pat Murphy was captured on viral video criticizing the New York Yankees while speaking to Bauers, who played 84 games for New York in 2023. Murphy referred to the 2023 Yankees as a "horses--- team" where players were "playing for yourself," contrasting that environment with Milwaukee's championship culture. The exchange occurred as Bauers presented Murphy with the ball from the final out. Neither Murphy nor Bauers provided further comment to reporters regarding the conversation.

Bauers joined Milwaukee via a trade from the Yankees in November 2023 after batting .202 with 12 home runs and 95 strikeouts in 272 plate appearances for New York. His 2026 resurgence included an .874 OPS, a significant increase from his tenure in the Bronx. Murphy’s remarks follow previous criticisms of the Yankees organization by Los Angeles Dodgers players Joe Kelly, Miguel Rojas, and Chris Taylor, who labeled the team "sloppy" and "lazy" following the 2024 World Series.