2008 Chicago Cubs season

The 2008 Chicago Cubs season was the 137th season of the Chicago Cubs franchise, the 133rd in the National League and the 93rd at Wrigley Field. The season began at home on March 31 against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs were champions of the National League Central for the second year in a row, accumulating 97 regular season wins—the most since 1945. It was the first time since 1908 that the Cubs made postseason appearances in consecutive seasons.

At the All-Star break in July, the Cubs led the NL Central and were tied with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for the best record in the major leagues. They tied a National League record with eight players selected to the All-Star team.

On September 20, the Cubs clinched the NL Central championship with a 5–4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Despite their regular season success, the team did not advance past the first round of the playoffs; they were swept 3–0 by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.

Lou Piniella, in his second year as the Cubs' manager, won the National League's Manager of the Year Award in 2008. In addition, catcher Geovany Soto won the 2008 National League Rookie of the Year Award.

Regular season

Game log

|- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 1 || March 31 || Brewers || 4–3 (10) || Gagné (1-0) || Howry (0-1) || Riske (1) || 41,089 || 0-1 ||

|- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 2 || April 2 || Brewers || 8–2 || Suppan (1-0) || Lilly (0-1) || || 39,468 || 0-2 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 3 || April 3 || Brewers || 6–2 || Dempster (1-0) || Bush (0-1) || Wood (1) || 37,973 || 1-2 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 4 || April 4 || Astros || 4–3 || Wright (1-0) || Lieber (0-1) || Valverde (1) || 37,812 || 1-3 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || | 5 || April 5 || Astros || 9–7 || Hart (1-0) || Oswalt (0-2) || Wood (2) || 40,707 || 2-3 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || | 6 || April 6 || Astros || 3–2 || Zambrano (1-0) || Villarreal (0-2) || Wood (3) || 40,929 || 3-3 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || | 7 || April 7 || @ Pirates || 10–8 (12) || Lieber (1-1) || Meek (0-1) || Mármol (1) || 37,491 || 4-3 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || | 8 || April 9 || @ Pirates || 6–4 (15) || Hart (2-0) || Dumatrait (0-1) || Marshall (1) || 9,735 || 5-3 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || | 9 || April 10 || @ Pirates || 7–3 || Lieber (2-1) || Morris (0-1) || || 9,798 || 6-3 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 10 || April 11 || @ Phillies || 5–3 || Myers (1-1) || Zambrano (1-1) || Lidge (2) || 37,368 || 6-4 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 11 || April 12 || @ Phillies || 7–1 || Hamels (2-1) || Lilly (0-2) || || 45,072 || 6-5 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 12 || April 13 || @ Phillies || 6–5 (10) || Wood (1-0) || Seánez (0-1) || Howry (1) || 40,095 || 7-5 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 13 || April 15 || Reds || 9–5 || Dempster (2-0) || Harang (1-2) || || 39,130 || 8-5 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 14 || April 16 || Reds || 12–3 || Zambrano (2-1) || Fogg (1-2) || || 40,099 || 9-5 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 15 || April 17 || Reds || 9–2 || Vólquez (2-0) || Lilly (0-3) || || 39,534 || 9-6 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 16 || April 18 || Pirates || 3–2 || Hill (1-0) || Snell (2-1) || Wood (4) || 39,118 || 10-6 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 17 || April 19 || Pirates || 13–1 || Marquis (1-0) || Gorzelanny (1-2) || || 40,298 || 11-6 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 18 || April 20 || Pirates || 13–6 || Dempster (3-0) || Duke (0-1) || || 41,405 || 12-6 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 19 || April 21 || Mets || 7–1 || Zambrano (3-1) || Maine (1-2) || || 40,582 || 13-6 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 20 || April 22 || Mets || 8–1 || Lilly (1-3) || Figueroa (1-1) || || 40,503 || 14-6 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 21 || April 23 || @ Rockies || 7–6 (10) || Wood (2-0) || Wells (1-1) || Mármol (2) || 36,864 || 15-6 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 22 || April 24 || @ Rockies || 4–2 || Cook (3-1) || Hart (2-1) || Fuentes (1) || 32,791 || 15-7 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 23 || April 25 || @ Nationals || 5–3 || Rauch (2-0) || Howry (0-2) || || 35,154 || 15-8 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 24 || April 26 || @ Nationals || 7–0 || Zambrano (4-1) || Chico (0-5) || || 35,188 || 16-8 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 25 || April 27 || @ Nationals || 2–0 || Lannan (2-2) || Lilly (1-4) || Rauch (4) || 33,795 || 16-9 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 26 || April 29 || Brewers || 10–7 || Sheets (4-0) || Marquis (1-1) || Gagné (8) || 39,543 || 16-10 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 27 || April 30 || Brewers || 19–5 || Dempster (4-0) || Suppan (1-1) || || 39,908 || 17-10 ||

|- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 28 || May 1 || Brewers || 4–3 || Shouse (2-0) || Wood (2-1) || Gagné (9) || 40,849 || 17-11 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 29 || May 2 || @ Cardinals || 5–3 (11) || Villone (1-0) || Fox (0-1) || || 45,077 || 17-12 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 30 || May 3 || @ Cardinals || 9–3 || Lilly (2-4) || Lohse (3-1) || || 46,792 || 18-12 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 31 || May 4 || @ Cardinals || 5–3 || Wellemeyer (3-1) || Marquis (1-2) || Isringhausen (10) || 44,969 || 18-13 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 32 || May 5 || @ Reds || 5–3 || Cueto (2-3) || Dempster (4-1) || Cordero (5) || 20,289 || 18-14 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 33 || May 6 || @ Reds || 3–0 ||Zambrano (5-1) || Harang (1-5) || Wood (5) || 21,153 || 19-14 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 34 || May 7 || @ Reds || 9–0 || Vólquez (5-1) || Lieber (2-2) || || 28,418 || 19-15 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 35 || May 9 || D-backs || 3–1 ||Lilly (3-4) || Haren (4-2) || Wood (6) || 40,236 || 20-15 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 36 || May 10 || D-backs || 7–2 || Eyre (1-0) || Qualls (0-4) || || 41,597 || 21-15 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 37 || May 11 || D-backs || 6–4 || Mármol (1-0) || Peña (0-1) || Wood (7) || 39,740 || 22-15 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 38 || May 12 || Padres || 12–3 || Zambrano (6-1) || Wolf (2-3) || || 39,528 || 23-15 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 39 || May 13 || Padres || 4–3 || Estes (1-0) || Marquis (1-3) || Hoffman (7) || 40,028 || 23-16 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 40 || May 14 || Padres || 8–5 || Lilly (4-4) || Peavy (4-3) || || 39,650 || 24-16 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 41 || May 15 || Padres || 4–0 || Dempster (5-1) || Maddux (3-4) || Wood (8) || 40,629 || 25-16 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 42 || May 16 || Pirates || 7–4 || Gallagher (1-0) || Gorzelanny (3-4) || Wood (9) || 40,537 || 26-16 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 43 || May 17 || Pirates || 7–6 || Marte (3-0) || Mármol (1-1) || Capps (10) || 41,686 || 26-17 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 44 || May 18 || Pirates || 4–3 || Marquis (2-3) || Dumatrait (1-2) || Wood (10)|| 41,321 || 27-17 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 45 || May 19 || @ Astros || 7–2 || Lilly (5-4) || Moehler (1-1) || || 32,458 || 28-17 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 46 || May 20 || @ Astros || 4–2 || Sampson (3-3) || Dempster (5-2) || Valverde (13) || 33,339 || 28-18 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 47 || May 21 || @ Astros || 5–3 || Chacón (0-1) || Gallagher (1-1) || Valverde (14) || 33,251 || 28-19 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 48 || May 23 || @ Pirates || 12–3 || Zambrano (7-1)|| Duke (2-3) || || 32,656 || 29-19 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 49 || May 24 || @ Pirates || 5–4 (14) || Grabow (4-1) || Wuertz (0-1) || || 29,929 || 29-20 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 50 || May 25 || @ Pirates || 6–5 (11) || Marte (4-0) || Lieber (2-3) || || 29,415 || 29-21 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 51 || May 26 || Dodgers || 3–1 || Dempster (6-2) || Billingsley (4-6) || Wood (11) || 41,583 || 30-21 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 52 || May 27 || Dodgers || 3–1 || Gallagher (2-1) || Kuroda (2-4) || Wood (12) || 39,894 || 31-21 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 53 || May 28 || Dodgers || 2–1 (10) || Howry (1-2) || Park (1-1) || || 39,945 || 32-21 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 54 || May 29 || Rockies || 8–4 || Wuertz (1-1) || Herges (2-2) || || 39,851 || 33-21 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 55 || May 30 || Rockies || 10–9 || Eyre (2-0) || Corpas (0-3) || Wood (13) || 39,686 || 34-21 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 56 || May 31 || Rockies || 5–4 || Dempster (7-2) || Rusch (1-3) || Mármol (3) || 41,529 || 35-21 ||

|- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 57 || June 1 || Rockies || 5–3 || Gallagher (3-1) || Jiménez (1-6) || Wood (14) || 41,730 || 36-21 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 58 || June 2 || @ Padres || 7–6 || Zambrano (8-1) || Baek (0-2) || Wood (15) || 30,259 || 37-21 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 59 || June 3 || @ Padres || 9–6 || Marquis (3-3) || Corey (1-1) || Wood (16) || 24,477 || 38-21 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 60 || June 4 || @ Padres || 2–1 || Bell (3-3) || Lilly (5-5) || Hoffman (12) || 25,258 || 38-22 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 61 || June 5 || @ Dodgers || 5–4 || Howry (2-2) || Saito (3-2) || Wood (17) || 44,988 || 39-22 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 62 || June 6 || @ Dodgers || 3–0 || Kuroda (3-5) || Gallagher (3-2) || || 52,484 || 39-23 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 63 || June 7 || @ Dodgers || 7–3 || Lowe (4-5) || Zambrano (8-2) || || 50,020 || 39-24 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 64 || June 8 || @ Dodgers || 3–1 || Marquis (4-3) || Penny (5-8) || Wood (18) || 49,994 || 40-24 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 65 || June 10 || Braves || 10–5 || Lilly (6-5) || Glavine (2-3) || || 41,624 || 41-24 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 66 || June 11 || Braves || 7–2 || Dempster (8-2)|| Bennett (0-4) || || 41,497 || 42-24 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 67 || June 12 || Braves || 3–2 (11) || Wood (3-1) || Acosta (3-5) || || 41,517 || 43-24 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 68 || June 13 || @ Blue Jays || 3–2 || Burnett (6-6) || Gallagher (3-3) || Ryan (14)|| 27,803 || 43-25 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 69 || June 14 || @ Blue Jays || 6–2 || Marquis (5-3)|| Halladay (8-6) || || 34,048 || 44-25 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 70 || June 15 || @ Blue Jays || 7–4 || Lilly (7-5) || Litsch (7-3) || || 40,738 || 45-25 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 71 || June 17 || @ Rays || 3–2 || Balfour (1-0) || Cotts (0-1) || Percival (16) || 31,607 || 45-26 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 72 || June 18 || @ Rays || 5–4 || Sonnanstine (8-3) || Zambrano (8-3) || Percival (17) || 31,496 || 45-27 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 73 || June 19 || @ Rays || 8–3 || Balfour (2-0) || Mármol (1-2) || || 34,441 || 45-28 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 74 || June 20 || White Sox || 4–3 || Wood (4-1) || Linebrink (2-2) || || 41,106 || 46-28 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 75 || June 21 || White Sox || 11–7 || Marquis (6-3) || Contreras (6-6) || Wood (19) || 41,021 || 47-28 || |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 76 || June 22 || White Sox || 7–1 || Dempster (9-2) || Vázquez (7-6) || || 41,034 || 48-28 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 77 || June 24 || Orioles || 7–5 || Guthrie (4-7) || Marshall (0-1) || Sherrill (26) || 41,357 || 48-29 || |- align="center" bgcolor=bbffbb | 78 || June 25 || Orioles || 7–4 || Lilly (8-5) || Albers (3-3) || Wood (20) || 40,754 || 49-29 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 79 || June 26 || Orioles || 11–4 || Liz (2-0) || Marquis (6-4) || || 41,670 || 49-30 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 80 || June 27 || @ White Sox || 10–3 || Contreras (7-6) || Dempster (9-3) || || 39,132 || 49-31 || |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb"