Pat Murphy has his World Series ring. The Milwaukee Brewers manager led his team past the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 on Wednesday night to win the first title in franchise history.

"This group of guys right here, the 2026 team, will be remembered forever. And they deserve that because they were a team," Murphy said.

"When you talk about this team, you've got to talk about people who care about each other," he added. "They're not worried about their own stats. No one cares about that. They care about coming together and winning tonight."

A comeback story

Murphy is 67. He survived a heart attack in 2020 while he was the Brewers bench coach.

He took over as manager and was named NL Manager of the Year in each of his first two full seasons in 2024 and 2025. This year his team won a franchise-record 103 games.

Jokes and high standards

Players love his sense of humor. Before the playoffs he sent pitcher Colton Gordon to the upper deck to check on a "spy." It turned out to be the statue of Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Uecker.

He also sets a high bar. Before the postseason he told his players, "If you're tired, take a nap. If you're weak, get stronger."

"Oh no, he's serious," Christian Yelich said. "And when he says those things in the dugout, he means it."

Finishing the job

Murphy's team did what the 1982 Brewers could not. That club, known as Harvey's Wallbangers, lost the World Series in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals.