The 2008 Boston Red Sox season was the 108th season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox, as the defending World Series champions, finished in second place in the American League East with a record of 95–67, two games behind the Tampa Bay Rays. The Red Sox qualified for the postseason as the AL wild card and defeated the American League West champion Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the ALDS. The Red Sox then lost to the Rays in the ALCS in seven games. This was the franchise's fourth appearance in the ALCS in six seasons.

In late March, the team started the regular season playing in Tokyo against the Oakland Athletics for MLB Japan Opening Day 2008. In July, seven Red Sox players were selected for the AL All-Star team, with outfielder J. D. Drew being named the game's MVP. On July 31, the Red Sox traded long-time star player Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers in a three-way blockbuster (which also included the Pirates) for Jason Bay and minor leaguer Josh Wilson. In September, the team officially retired uniform number 6 in honor of Johnny Pesky.

Regular season

Prior to the season, three large Coca-Cola bottles, which had been placed on the left light tower above the Green Monster prior to the 1997 season as an advertisement, were removed.

Opening Day lineup 15 Dustin Pedroia 2B20 Kevin Youkilis 1B34 David Ortiz DH24 Manny Ramirez LF25 Mike Lowell 3B44 Brandon Moss RF33 Jason Varitek C46 Jacoby Ellsbury CF23 Julio Lugo SS18 Daisuke Matsuzaka P

Season standings

Notable transactions May 22, 2008: Julián Tavárez was released by the Red Sox. July 12, 2008: Bobby Kielty was released by the Red Sox. July 31, 2008: As part of a three-team trade, star outfielder Jason Bay was acquired by the Red Sox from the Pirates for pitcher Craig Hansen and outfielder/first baseman Brandon Moss.https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bayja.shtml Jason Bay Statistics - Baseball Reference.com Also in exchange, the Red Sox sent star outfielder Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers. August 12, 2008: Paul Byrd was acquired by the Red Sox from the Indians in exchange for a player to be named later. August 22, 2008: David Ross signed as a free agent with the Red Sox. August 27, 2008: Mark Kotsay was acquired by the Red Sox from the Braves in exchange for minor leaguer Luis Sumoza.

Roster 2008 Boston Red Sox Roster Pitchers Catchers

Infielders Outfielders

Other batters Manager

Coaches (first base) (pitching) (third base) (hitting) (bench) (bullpen)

Record vs. opponents

+Red Sox vs. National LeagueTeamNL Central  CHCCINHOUMILPITSTLARIPHIBoston—2–11–23–0—1–22–12–1

Game log

2008 Regular Season Game Log March (1-1)#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord 1 March 25 @ Athletics* 6–5 (10) Okajima (1–0) Street (0–1) Papelbon (1) 44,628 1–0 2 March 26 @ Athletics* 5–1 Harden (1–0) Lester (0–1) 44,735 1–1 * At Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, see MLB Japan Opening Day 2008 April (16–11)#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord 3 April 1 @ Athletics 2–1 Matsuzaka (1–0) Blanton (0–1) Papelbon (2) 36,067 2–1 4 April 2 @ Athletics 5–0 Lester (1–1) Embree (0–1) 21,625 3–1 5 April 4 @ Blue Jays 6–3 Marcum (1–0) Aardsma (0–1) Accardo (2) 50,171 3–2 6 April 5 @ Blue Jays 10–2 Litsch (1–0) Buchholz (0–1) 35,238 3–3 7 April 6 @ Blue Jays 7–4 Halladay (1–1) Beckett (0–1) Accardo (3) 30,114 3–4 8 April 8 Tigers 5–0 Matsuzaka (2–0) Rogers (0–2) 36,567 4–4 9 April 9 Tigers 7–2 Bonderman (1–1) Lester (1–2) 37,190 4–5 10 April 10 Tigers 12–6 Wakefield (1–0) Robertson (0–1) Papelbon (3) 37,612 5–5 11 April 11 Yankees 4–1 Wang (3–0) Timlin (0–1) 37,624 5–6 12 April 12 Yankees 4–3 Beckett (1–1) Mussina (1–2) Papelbon (4) 37,461 6–6 13 April 13 Yankees 8–5 Matsuzaka (3–0) Hughes (0–2) 37,876 7–6 14 April 14 @ Indians 6–4 Timlin (1–1 Borowski (0–2) Papelbon (5) 21,802 8–6 15 April 15 @ Indians 5–3 Aardsma (1–1) Lewis (0–1) Okajima (1) 25,135 9–6 16 April 16 @ Yankees 15–9 Hawkins (1–0) Tavárez (0–1) Bruney (1) 54,667 9–7 17 April 17 @ Yankees 7–5 Beckett (2–1) Mussina (1–3) 55,088 10–7 18 April 18 Rangers 11–3 Matsuzaka (4–0) Mendoza (0–2) 37,902 11–7 19 April 19 Rangers 5–3 López (1–0) Benoit (1–1) Papelbon (6) 37,958 12–7 20 April 20 Rangers 6–5 Wakefield (2–0) Wilson (0–1) Papelbon (7) 37,480 13–7 21 April 21 Rangers 8–3 Buchholz (1–1) Nippert (1–2) 37,539 14–7 22 April 22 Angels 7–6 Timlin (2–1) Oliver (1–1) Papelbon (8) 37,982 15–7 23 April 23 Angels 6–4 Garland (3–2) Hansen (0–1) Rodríguez (8) 38,172 15–8 24 April 24 Angels 7–5 Saunders (4–0) Delcarmen (0–1) Rodríguez (9) 36,848 15–9 25 April 25 @ Rays 5–4 Dohmann (1–0) Timlin (2–2) 30,290 15–10 26 April 26 @ Rays 2–1 Dohmann (2–0) Buchholz (1–2) Percival (5) 36,048 15–11 27 April 27 @ Rays 3–0 Shields (3–1) Beckett (2–2) 32,363 15–12 28 April 29 Blue Jays 1–0 Papelbon (1–0) Halladay (2–4) 37,215 16–12 29 April 30 Blue Jays 2–1 Papelbon (2–0) Downs(0–1) 37,710 17–12 May (17–12)#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord 30 May 1 Blue Jays 3–0 Burnett (3–2) Wakefield (2–1) Ryan (3) 37,821 17–13 31 May 2 Rays 7–3 Buchholz (2–2) Jackson (2–3) 37,541 18–13 32 May 3 Rays 12–4 Beckett (3–2) Shields (3–2) 37,700 19–13 33 May 4 Rays 7–3 Lester (2–2) Kazmir (0–1) Papelbon (9) 37,091 20–13 34 May 5 @ Tigers 6–3 Matsuzaka (5–0) Bonderman (2–3) Papelbon (10) 39,478 21–13 35 May 6 @ Tigers 5–0 Wakefield (3–1) Robertson (1–4) 38,564 22–13 36 May 7 @ Tigers 10–9 Jones (1–0) Papelbon (2–1) 38,062 22–14 37 May 8 @ Tigers 5–1 Beckett (4–2) Verlander (1–6) 38,592 23–14 38 May 9 @ Twins 7–6 Crain (1–1) Papelbon (2–2) 25,477 23–15 39 May 10 @ Twins 5–2 Matsuzaka (6–0) Perkins (0–1) Papelbon (11) 33,839 24–15 40 May 11 @ Twins 9–8 Blackburn (3–2) Wakefield (3–2) Nathan (12) 26,511 24–16 41 May 12 @ Twins 7–3 Hernández (6–1) Buchholz (2–3) 18,782 24–17 42 May 13 @ Orioles 5–4 Guthrie (2–3) Beckett (4–3) Sherrill (14) 38,768 24–18 43 May 14 @ Orioles 6–3 Cabrera (4–1) Hansen (0–2) Sherrill (15) 28,939 24–19 – May 16 Brewers Postponed (rain) Rescheduled for May 17 44 May 17 Brewers 5–3 Matsuzaka (7–0) Suppan (2–3) Papelbon (12) 37,409 25–19 45 May 17 Brewers 7–6 Hansen (1–2) Torres (3–1) Timlin (1) 37,847 26–19 46 May 18 Brewers 11–7 Beckett (5–3) Villanueva (2–5) 37,204 27–19 47 May 19 Royals 7–0 Lester (3–2) (no-hitter) Hochevar (3–3) 37,746 28–19 48 May 20 Royals 2–1 Masterson (1–0) Meche (3–6) Papelbon (13) 37,486 29–19 49 May 21 Royals 6–3 Colón (1–0) Tomko (2–5) 37,674 30–19 50 May 22 Royals 11–8 Matsuzaka (8–0) Bannister (4–6) Papelbon (14) 37,613 31–19 51 May 23 @ Athletics 8–3 Harden (3–0) Wakefield (3–3) 29,057 31–20 52 May 24 @ Athletics 3–0 Duchscherer (4–3) Beckett (5–4) Street (10) 33,468 31–21 53 May 25 @ Athletics 6–3 Blanton (3–6) Lester (3–3) Street (11) 33,067 31–22 54 May 26 @ Mariners 5–3 Colón (2–0) Hernández (2–5) 35,818 32–22 55 May 27 @ Mariners 4–3 Putz (2–3) Timlin (2–3) 30,758 32–23 56 May 28 @ Mariners 1–0 Bédard (4–3) Wakefield (3–4) Putz (6) 30,752 32–24 57 May 30 @ Orioles 5–2 (13) Timlin (3–3) Bradford (2–2) Papelbon (15) 46,199 33–24 58 May 31 @ Orioles 6–3 Aardsma (2–1) Cormier (0–2) Papelbon (16) 48,281 34–24 June (16–11)#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord 59 June 1 @ Orioles 9–4 Colón (3–0) Burres (4–5) 45,031 35–24 60 June 2 @ Orioles 6–3 Johnson (1–2) Okajima (1–1) Sherrill (18) 25,711 35–25 61 June 3 Rays 7–4 Masterson (2–0) Garza (4–2) Papelbon (17) 37,823 36–25 62 June 4 Rays 5–1 Beckett (6–4) Jackson (3–5) 37,474 37–25 63 June 5 Rays 7–1 Lester (4–3) Shields (4–4) 37,639 38–25 64 June 6 Mariners 8–0 Hernández (4–5) Colón (3–1) 37,757 38–26 65 June 7 Mariners 11–3 Wakefield (4–4) Batista (3–7) 37,443 39–26 66 June 8 Mariners 2–1 Masterson (3–0) Green (1–2) Papelbon (18) 37,198 40–26 67 June 10 Orioles 10–6 Sarfate (4–1) Okajima (1–2) 37,858 40–27 68 June 11 Orioles 6–3 Colón (4–1) Olson (5–2) Papelbon (19) 38,180 41–27 69 June 12 Orioles 9–2 Lester (5–3) Guthrie (3–7) 38,139 42–27 70 June 13 @ Reds 3–1 Harang (3–9) Masterson (3–1) Cordero (13) 38,855 42–28 71 June 14 @ Reds 6–4 (10) Papelbon (3–2) Lincoln (0–2) Hansen (1) 39,154 43–28 72 June 15 @ Reds 9–0 Beckett (7–4) Bailey (0–3) 39,958 44–28 73 June 16 @ Phillies 8–2 Hamels (7–4) Colón (4–2) 45,026 44–29 74 June 17 @ Phillies 3–0 Lester (6–3) Moyer (7–4) Papelbon (20) 45,160 45–29 75 June 18 @ Phillies 7–4 Masterson (4–1) Kendrick (6–3) Papelbon (21) 45,187 46–29 76 June 20 Cardinals 5–4 Lohse (9–2) Wakefield (4–5) Franklin (10) 37,671 46–30 77 June 21 Cardinals 9–3 Boggs (2–0) Matsuzaka (8–1) 37,227 46–31 78 June 22 Cardinals 5–3 (13) López (2–0) Parisi (0–3) 37,085 47–31 79 June 23 D-backs 2–1 Haren (8–4) Beckett (7–5) Lyon (16) 37,694 47–32 80 June 24 D-backs 5–4 Smith (1–0) Qualls (1–6) Papelbon (22) 37,867 48–32 81 June 25 D-backs 5–0 Wakefield (5–5) Johnson (4–6) Papelbon (23) 37,924 49–32 82 June 27 @ Astros 6–1 Matsuzaka (9–1) Hernández (0–1) Papelbon (24) 42,237 50–32 83 June 28 @ Astros 11–10 Brocail (3–3) Delcarmen (0–2) Valverde (20) 43,073 50–33 84 June 29 @ Astros 3–2 Brocail (4–3) Aardsma (2–2) Valverde (21) 42,066 50–34 85 June 30 @ Rays 5–4 Shields (6–5) Masterson (4–2) Howell (2) 34,145 50–35 July (11–13)#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord 86 July 1 @ Rays 3–1 Garza (7–4) Wakefield (5–6) Balfour (2) 31,112 50–36 87 July 2 @ Rays 7–6 Glover (1–2) Hansen (1–3) Wheeler (3) 36,048 50–37 88 July 3 @ Yankees 7–0 Lester (7–3) Pettitte (9–6) 54,677 51–37 89 July 4 @ Yankees 6–4 Beckett (8–5) Rasner (4–7) Papelbon (25) 55,130 52–37 90 July 5 @ Yankees 2–1 Mussina (11–6) Masterson (4–3) Rivera (23) 54,920 52–38 91 July 6 @ Yankees 5–4 (10) Rivera (3–3) Papelbon (3–3) 54,922 52–39 92 July 7 Twins 1–0 Okajima (2–2) Bass (3–3) Papelbon (26) 37,912 53–39 93 July 8 Twins 6–5 Aardsma (3–2) Guerrier (4–4) Papelbon (27) 37,925 54–39 94 July 9 Twins 18–5 Beckett (9–5) Hernández (9–6) 37,470 55–39 95 July 11 Orioles 7–3 Burres (7–5) Buchholz (2–4) Sherrill (28) 37,779 55–40 96 July 12 Orioles 12–1 Wakefield (6–6) Liz (3–2) 37,539 56–40 97 July 13 Orioles 2–1 Matsuzaka (10–1) Cabrera (6–5) Papelbon (28) 37,344 57–40 98 July 18 @ Angels 11–3 Lackey (7–2) Buchholz (2–5) 44,260 57–41 99 July 19 @ Angels 4–2 Arredondo (4–0) Beckett (9–6) Rodríguez (39) 44,005 57–42 100 July 20 @ Angels 5–3 Oliver (3–1) Wakefield (6–7) Rodríguez (40) 44,164 57–43 101 July 21 @ Mariners 4–0 Lester (8–3) Washburn (4–9) Papelbon (29) 37,861 58–43 102 July 22 @ Mariners 4–2 Matsuzaka (11–1) Dickey (2–5) Papelbon (30) 38,425 59–43 103 July 23 @ Mariners 6–3 (13) Papelbon (4–3) Green 2–3) Hansen (2) 43,231 60–43 104 July 25 Yankees 1–0 Chamberlain (3–3) Beckett (9–7) Rivera (26) 37,744 60–44 105 July 26 Yankees 10–3 Pettitte (12–7) Wakefield (6–8) 37,225 60–45 106 July 27 Yankees 9–2 Lester (9–3) Ponson (6–2) 37,688 61–45 107 July 28 Angels 7–5 Weaver (9–8) Matsuzaka (11–2) Rodríguez (44) 37,830 61–46 108 July 29 Angels 6–2 Lackey (9–2) Buchholz (2–6) 38,110 61–47 109 July 30 Angels 9–2 Saunders (14–5) Beckett (9–8) 38,042 61–48