2008 Major League Baseball postseason

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2008 Major League Baseball postseason
2008MLBPostseasonLogo.jpg
Tournament details
DatesOctober 1–29, 2008 [1]
Teams8
Final positions
Champions Philadelphia Phillies
(2nd title)
Runners-up Tampa Bay Rays
Awards
MVP Cole Hamels
(PHI)
←  2007
2009  →

The 2008 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball for the 2008 season. The winners of the Division Series would move on to the League Championship Series to determine the pennant winners that face each other in the World Series.

Contents

In the American League, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim returned to the postseason for the fifth time in seven years, the Boston Red Sox returned for the fifth time in six years, the Chicago White Sox made their third appearance in the past nine years, and the Tampa Bay Rays made their postseason debut, officially marking the moment when all 30 active MLB teams made the postseason. [2] This was the last postseason appearance for the White Sox until 2020.

In the National League, the Chicago Cubs returned for the third time in six years, marking the first time since 1906 that both Chicago teams made the postseason. The Philadelphia Phillies made their second straight appearance, the Los Angeles Dodgers made their third appearance in the past five years, and the Milwaukee Brewers ended over a quarter-century of futility by making their first postseason appearance since 1982 (first as a member of the National League), ending what was the second longest postseason appearance drought in the league at the time.

This was the first postseason since 1993 to not feature the New York Yankees, who had previously made thirteen straight appearances from 1995 to 2007.

The postseason began on October 1, 2008, and ended on October 29, 2008, with the Phillies defeating the Rays in five games in the 2008 World Series. It was the first championship won by the Phillies since 1980.

Playoff seeds

Red pog.svg American League Teams Blue pog.svg National League Teams

The following teams qualified for the postseason:

American League

  1. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 100–62, AL West champions [3]
  2. Tampa Bay Rays – 97–65, AL East champions [4]
  3. Chicago White Sox – 89–74, AL Central champions [5] [6]
  4. Boston Red Sox – 95–67 [7]

National League

  1. Chicago Cubs – 97–64, NL Central champions [8]
  2. Philadelphia Phillies – 92–70, NL East champions [9]
  3. Los Angeles Dodgers – 84–78, NL West champions [10]
  4. Milwaukee Brewers – 90–72 [11]

Playoff bracket

Division Series
(ALDS, NLDS)		League Championship Series
(NLCS, ALCS)		 World Series
1LA Angels1
4Boston3
4Boston3
American League
2Tampa Bay4
2Tampa Bay3
3Chicago White Sox1
AL2Tampa Bay1
NL2Philadelphia4
1Chicago Cubs0
3LA Dodgers3
3LA Dodgers1
National League
2Philadelphia4
2Philadelphia3
4Milwaukee1

*Denotes walk-off

Note: Two teams in the same division could not meet in the division series.

American League Division Series

(1) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs. (4) Boston Red Sox

Boston won the series, 3–1.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1October 1 Boston Red Sox – 4, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 1 Angel Stadium of Anaheim 3:1444,996 [12]  
2October 3 Boston Red Sox – 7, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 5 Angel Stadium of Anaheim 3:5145,354 [13]  
3October 5 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 5, Boston Red Sox – 4 (12) Fenway Park 5:1939,067 [14]  
4October 6 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – 2, Boston Red Sox – 3 Fenway Park 2:5038,785 [15]

This was the fourth postseason meeting between the Red Sox and Angels (1986, 2004, 2007). In a rematch of the previous year's ALDS, the Red Sox again defeated the Angels to advance to the ALCS for the second year in a row.

Jon Lester out-dueled John Lackey in as the Red Sox stole Game 1 on the road. Game 2 was an offensive slugfest between both teams as the game was tied at five going into the top of the ninth, until J.D. Drew won the game for the Red Sox with a two-run home run to give the Red Sox a 2–0 series lead heading to Boston. Game 3 was an extra-innings grind that was won by the Angels thanks to a solo home run from Mike Napoli in the top of the twelfth. The Angels' Game 3 win ended an 11-game postseason losing streak against the Red Sox that dated back to the 1986 ALCS, and a nine-game overall postseason skid that dated back to the 2005 ALCS. However, that would be all the Angels could do, as the Red Sox prevailed in Game 4 by a 3–2 score thanks to a walk-off single from Jed Lowrie.

The Angels would sweep the Red Sox in the ALDS the next year.

(2) Tampa Bay Rays vs. (3) Chicago White Sox

Tampa Bay won the series, 3–1.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1October 2 Chicago White Sox – 4, Tampa Bay Rays – 6 Tropicana Field 3:1035,041 [16]  
2October 3 Chicago White Sox – 2, Tampa Bay Rays – 6 Tropicana Field 3:1035,257 [17]  
3October 5 Tampa Bay Rays – 3, Chicago White Sox – 5 U.S. Cellular Field 3:0740,142 [18]  
4October 6 Tampa Bay Rays – 6, Chicago White Sox – 2 U.S. Cellular Field 3:1340,454 [19]

In their postseason debut, the Rays defeated the White Sox in four games to advance to the ALCS for the first time in franchise history.

Two home runs from Evan Longoria would carry the Rays to their first postseason victory in Game 1. Longoria became the first player to hit two home runs in his first two career postseason at-bats since Gary Gaetti in 1987. In Game 2, the White Sox lead 2-1 after four innings, but the Rays would put up five unanswered runs in the bottom of the fifth and eighth innings to take a 2–0 series lead heading to Chicago. John Danks pitched six solid innings as the White Sox took Game 3 to get on the board in the series. In Game 4, two home runs from B. J. Upton gave the Rays a lead they would not let go of as they won by four runs to advance to their first ALCS.

National League Division Series

(1) Chicago Cubs vs. (3) Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles won the series, 3–0.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1October 1 Los Angeles Dodgers – 7, Chicago Cubs – 2 Wrigley Field 3:1042,099 [20]  
2October 2 Los Angeles Dodgers – 10, Chicago Cubs – 3 Wrigley Field 3:1042,136 [21]  
3October 4 Chicago Cubs – 1, Los Angeles Dodgers – 3 Dodger Stadium 3:0356,000 [22]

This was the first postseason meeting between the Cubs and Dodgers. The Dodgers swept the Cubs to return to the NLCS for the first time in two decades.

In Game 1, the Cubs jumped out to an early 2–0 lead, but it would be gone as James Loney hit a grand slam that put the Dodgers ahead for good as they won in a blowout. In Game 2, the Dodgers blew out the Cubs again to take a 2–0 series lead headed to Los Angeles. Hiroki Kuroda pitched six innings of shutout ball and the Dodgers' bullpen held the Cubs to one run scored as the Dodgers completed the sweep in Game 3.

Both teams would meet again in the NLCS in 2016 and 2017, with the Cubs winning the former and the Dodgers winning the latter.

(2) Philadelphia Phillies vs. (4) Milwaukee Brewers

Philadelphia won the series, 3–1.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1October 1 Milwaukee Brewers – 1, Philadelphia Phillies – 3 Citizens Bank Park 2:3945,929 [23]  
2October 2 Milwaukee Brewers – 2, Philadelphia Phillies – 5 Citizens Bank Park 3:0046,208 [24]  
3October 4 Philadelphia Phillies – 1, Milwaukee Brewers – 4 Miller Park 3:3143,992 [25]  
4October 5 Philadelphia Phillies – 6, Milwaukee Brewers – 2 Miller Park 2:5343,934 [26]

The Phillies defeated the Brewers in four games to return to the NLCS for the first time since 1993.

Cole Hamels pitched eight shutout innings of two-hit ball while striking out nine as the Phillies prevailed by a 3–1 score in Game 1. Brett Myers helped lead the Phillies to victory in Game 2 with a solid seven-inning performance as they took a 2–0 series lead heading to Milwaukee. In the first postseason game in Milwaukee in 26 years, Dave Bush pitched five shutout innings and the bullpen held the Phillies to one run scored as the Brewers took Game 3. In Game 4, Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell, and Jayson Werth all homered for the Phillies as they won to close out the series.

American League Championship Series

(2) Tampa Bay Rays vs. (4) Boston Red Sox

Tampa Bay won the series, 4–3.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1October 10 Boston Red Sox – 2, Tampa Bay Rays – 0 Tropicana Field 3:2535,001 [27]  
2October 11 Boston Red Sox – 8, Tampa Bay Rays – 9 (11) Tropicana Field 5:2734,904 [28]  
3October 13 Tampa Bay Rays – 9, Boston Red Sox – 1 Fenway Park 3:2338,031 [29]  
4October 14 Tampa Bay Rays – 13, Boston Red Sox – 4 Fenway Park 3:0738,133 [30]  
5October 16 Tampa Bay Rays – 7, Boston Red Sox – 8 Fenway Park 4:0838,437 [31]  
6October 18 Boston Red Sox – 4, Tampa Bay Rays – 2 Tropicana Field 3:4840,947 [32]  
7October 19 Boston Red Sox – 1, Tampa Bay Rays – 3 Tropicana Field 3:3140,473 [33]

This was the first postseason meeting in the history of the Rays–Red Sox rivalry. Despite blowing a 3–1 series lead, the Rays managed to hold on and advance to the World Series for the first time in franchise history, denying the Red Sox a shot at back-to-back titles (in the process denying a rematch of the 1915 World Series between the Red Sox and Phillies).

Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched eight innings of shutout ball as the Red Sox stole Game 1 on the road. The Rays would prevail in a Game 2 slugfest by a 9–8 score thanks to a walk-off sacrifice fly by B.J. Upton in the bottom of the eleventh. Game 2 lasted 5 hours and 27 minutes, [34] and featured seven home runs, which broke the ALCS record and tied the all-time LCS record. [35] When the series shifted to Boston, things got ugly for the Red Sox as the Rays’ offense overwhelmed the Sox pitching staff in back-to-back blowout wins in Games 3 and 4 to take a 3–1 series lead.

In Game 5, the Rays looked poised to close out the series with yet another blowout win as they lead 7–0 going into the bottom of the seventh. However, the Red Sox pulled off an improbable rally as they scored eight unanswered runs to send the series back to St. Petersburg. The Red Sox's Game 5 comeback was the second-largest in postseason history, the largest since Game 4 of the 1929 World Series, and the largest ever for a team on the brink of elimination. Game 6 remained tied until the sixth, when Jason Varitek’s solo homer put the Red Sox in the lead for good as they forced a seventh game. However, the defending World Series champions would come up short. Despite falling behind early, the Rays put up three unanswered runs as they won 3–1 to secure their first ever AL pennant.

The Red Sox would return to the ALCS in 2013, where they defeated the Detroit Tigers in six games en route to a World Series title.

The Rays would win their next and most recent pennant in 2020 against the Houston Astros in seven games before falling in the World Series.

The Rays and Red Sox would meet again in the ALDS in 2013, and 2021, with both being won by the Red Sox.

National League Championship Series

(2) Philadelphia Phillies vs. (3) Los Angeles Dodgers

Philadelphia won the series, 4–1.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1October 9 Los Angeles Dodgers – 2, Philadelphia Phillies – 3 Citizens Bank Park 2:3645,839 [36]  
2October 10 Los Angeles Dodgers – 5, Philadelphia Phillies – 8 Citizens Bank Park 3:3345,883 [37]  
3October 12 Philadelphia Phillies – 2, Los Angeles Dodgers – 7 Dodger Stadium 2:5756,800 [38]  
4October 13 Philadelphia Phillies – 7, Los Angeles Dodgers – 5 Dodger Stadium 3:4456,800 [39]  
5October 15 Philadelphia Phillies – 5, Los Angeles Dodgers – 1 Dodger Stadium 3:1456,800 [40]

This was the fourth postseason meeting between the Phillies and Dodgers (1977, 1978, 1983). This was the first of currently ten NLCS appearances the Dodgers would make over the course of the next seventeen years. The Phillies defeated the Dodgers in five quick games to return to the World Series for the first time since 1993.

In Game 1, the Dodgers jumped out to an early 2–0 lead, but it would vanish in the bottom of the sixth as Chase Utley and Pat Burrell would lead the Phillies to a 3–2 victory with a pair of home runs. Game 2 was an offensive duel in which the Phillies' bullpen held off a rally by the Dodgers to go up 2–0 in the series headed to Los Angeles. In Game 3, the Dodgers blew out the Phillies to get on the board in the series. Game 3 was marred by controversy, as a dramatic benches-clearing incident in the third inning occurred when Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda threw a fastball over the head of the Phillies' Shane Victorino. This came in retaliation for Phillies starter Jamie Moyer hitting Dodgers catcher Russell Martin in the knee in the first inning and reliever Clay Condrey nearly hitting Martin again in the second, which came after Brett Myers nearly hit Martin and threw behind Manny Ramírez in Game 2. Game 4 was yet another offensive slugfest that was won by the Phillies, 7–5, as Victorino and Matt Stairs hit a pair of two-run home runs in the top of the eighth which put the Phillies ahead for good. NLCS MVP Cole Hamels pitched a complete game in Game 5 as the Phillies prevailed by a 5–1 score to win the NL pennant.

This was the first of four consecutive losses in the NLCS for the Dodgers. In 2009, they lost to the Phillies in five games again, in 2013 they were defeated by the St. Louis Cardinals in six games, and in 2016 they lost to the Chicago Cubs, also in six games. The Dodgers would eventually win the NL pennant again in 2017 over the Cubs in five games.

2008 World Series

(AL2) Tampa Bay Rays vs. (NL2) Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia won the series, 4–1.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1October 22 Philadelphia Phillies – 3, Tampa Bay Rays – 2 Tropicana Field 3:2340,783 [41]  
2October 23 Philadelphia Phillies – 2, Tampa Bay Rays – 4 Tropicana Field 3:0540,843 [42]  
3October 25 Tampa Bay Rays – 4, Philadelphia Phillies – 5 Citizens Bank Park 3:4145,900 [43]  
4October 26 Tampa Bay Rays – 2, Philadelphia Phillies – 10 Citizens Bank Park 3:0845,903 [44]  
5October 27†/29 Tampa Bay Rays – 3, Philadelphia Phillies – 4 Citizens Bank Park 3:2845,940 [45]

† - Game suspended in the sixth inning due to rain.

This was the first World Series since 2001 to not feature a Wild Card team, and the first since 1993 to feature a team from Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Rays in five games to win their first championship since 1980.

Cole Hamels pitched seven strong innings as he out-dueled Scott Kazmir in Game 1 as the Phillies struck first on the road. In Game 2, David Price held off a late rally by the Phillies to help the Rays even the series headed to Philadelphia. In Game 3, the Phillies would prevail by one run as reliever J.C. Romero held off a late rally by the Rays. In Game 4, the Phillies blew out the Rays in Game 4 to take a 3–1 series lead. In Game 5, the Phillies jumped out to a 3–2 lead going into the sixth, but was then suspended thanks to heavy rain and resumed on Wednesday, October 29. Game 5 of the 2008 World Series was the first game in World Series history not to be played through to completion or declared a tie. However, the rain delay did not help the Rays, as the Phillies prevailed thanks to a single from Pedro Feliz which gave the Phillies a 4–3 victory and the title.

This was the first championship of the four major North American sports leagues won by a team from Philadelphia since 1983, when the Philadelphia 76ers won the 1983 NBA Finals. The Phillies returned to the World Series the next year in hopes of defending their title, but fell to the New York Yankees in six games. The Phillies would also make another appearance in the World Series in 2022, but they would fall to the Houston Astros, also in six games.

The Rays would return to the World Series again in 2020, but were defeated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games.

Broadcasting

This was the second postseason under a seven-year U.S. rights agreement with Fox and TBS. TBS primarily aired all Division Series games, with sister network TNT used as an overflow channel. TBS also had the American League Championship Series. Fox televised the National League Championship Series and the World Series.

References

  1. ↑ "2008 Major Leagues Schedule". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Liriano pitches 7 innings as Twins beat Rays 4–1". Archived from the original on September 26, 2008. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  3. ↑ "2008 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  4. ↑ "2008 Tampa Bay Rays Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  5. ↑ Chicago (AL) clinched the AL Central and the American League third seed by virtue of winning the 2008 American League Central tie-breaker game against the Minnesota Twins 1–0, eliminating Minnesota from postseason contention.
  6. ↑ "2008 Chicago White Sox Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  7. ↑ "2008 Boston Red Sox Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  8. ↑ "2008 Chicago Cubs Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  9. ↑ "2008 Philadelphia Phillies Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  10. ↑ "2008 Los Angeles Dodgers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  11. ↑ "2008 Milwaukee Brewers statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  12. ↑ "2008 ALDS - Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  13. ↑ "2008 ALDS - Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  14. ↑ "2008 ALDS - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs. Boston Red Sox - Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  15. ↑ "2008 ALDS - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim vs. Boston Red Sox - Game 4". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  16. ↑ "2008 ALDS - Chicago White Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays - Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  17. ↑ "2008 ALDS - Chicago White Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays - Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  18. ↑ "2008 ALDS - Tampa Bay Rays vs. Chicago White Sox - Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  19. ↑ "2008 ALDS - Tampa Bay Rays vs. Chicago White Sox - Game 4". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  20. ↑ "2008 NLDS - Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs - Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  21. ↑ "2008 NLDS - Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs - Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  22. ↑ "2008 NLDS - Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers - Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  23. ↑ "2008 NLDS - Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  24. ↑ "2008 NLDS - Milwaukee Brewers vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  25. ↑ "2008 NLDS - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Milwaukee Brewers - Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  26. ↑ "2008 NLDS - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Milwaukee Brewers - Game 4". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  27. ↑ "2008 ALCS Game 1 – Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  28. ↑ "2008 ALCS Game 2 – Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  29. ↑ "2008 ALCS Game 3 – Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  30. ↑ "2008 ALCS Game 4 – Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  31. ↑ "2008 ALCS Game 5 – Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  32. ↑ "2008 ALCS Game 6 – Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  33. ↑ "2008 ALCS Game 7 – Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  34. ↑ "Game Wrapup". MLB.com. October 12, 2008. Archived from the original on October 15, 2008. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  35. ↑ "Sox, Rays tie mark with seven homers". MLB.com. October 12, 2008. Archived from the original on October 15, 2008. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  36. ↑ "2008 NLCS Game 1 - Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  37. ↑ "2008 NLCS Game 2 - Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  38. ↑ "2008 NLCS Game 3 - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  39. ↑ "2008 NLCS Game 4 - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  40. ↑ "2008 NLCS Game 5 - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Los Angeles Dodgers". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  41. ↑ "2008 World Series Game 1 - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Tampa Bay Rays". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  42. ↑ "2008 World Series Game 2 - Philadelphia Phillies vs. Tampa Bay Rays". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  43. ↑ "2008 World Series Game 3 - Tampa Bay Rays vs. Philadelphia Phillies". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  44. ↑ "2008 World Series Game 4 - Tampa Bay Rays vs. Philadelphia Phillies". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  45. ↑ "2008 World Series Game 5 - Tampa Bay Rays vs. Philadelphia Phillies". Retrosheet. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
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