Brewers manager Pat Murphy cites 17-year Yankees drought after title win

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy invoked a 17-year championship drought for the New York Yankees to celebrate his team's first World Series title. The Brewers clinched the championship with a Game 5 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Florida.

Murphy shared a moment with first baseman Jake Bauers, who recorded the final out of the game. The 31-year-old free agent had a breakout 2026 season, hitting 26 home runs and driving in 86 runs for Milwaukee.

"You’re gonna be a rich f, r," Murphy told Bauers. "Just remember when you were on that horses, t Yankees team, you guys were all playing for yourself? Just remember, say, this is the way we used to do it."

Bauers played for the Yankees in 2023, batting .202 with a .693 OPS. He had 12 home runs and 30 runs batted in during 84 games with New York that year. The Yankees finished the 2023 season with an 82-80 record and missed the postseason.

That miss was the only time the Yankees failed to reach the playoffs during manager Aaron Boone's nine-year tenure. The franchise has not won a World Series title in 17 years.

Other players have mocked the Yankees in recent years. Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly said their team's scouting report included letting New York throw the ball to the infield because they could not make plays. "We pay attention to every single detail," Kelly said. "We have a lot of big superstars in our clubhouse, but our superstars also care and aren't lazy and play hard. So that’s the difference and the biggest separator."

Dodgers utility man Chris Taylor said the Yankees "s, t down their leg" after a defensive collapse in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series. In that game, New York surrendered a five-run lead due to three errors. Bauers was named MVP of the NLCS after batting .286 with six runs batted in during a four-game sweep of the Dodgers.