The 2008 Los Angeles Dodgers season was the 119th season for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise in Major League Baseball (MLB), their 51st season in Los Angeles, California, and their 47th season playing their home games at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers celebrated their Golden Anniversary in Southern California under new manager Joe Torre as they won the National League West for the first time since 2004, and returned to the postseason after missing the playoffs in 2007. The Dodgers did not peak until September when the won 17–8, which was highlighted by the acquisition of superstar outfielder Manny Ramirez. Ramirez hit .396 with 17 HRs in 53 games after the trade on July 31. They swept the Chicago Cubs in the NLDS to advance to the NLCS. It was their first playoff series win since 1988 when they went on to win the World Series. However, they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in five games in the NLCS.
Season standings
National League West
Record vs. opponents
Opening Day starters +Opening Day startersNamePosition Rafael FurcalShortstopAndre Ethier Left fielderMatt Kemp Right fielderJeff Kent Second basemanAndruw Jones Center fielderRussell MartinCatcherJames Loney First basemanBlake DeWittThird basemanBrad Penny Starting pitcher
Notable transactions
June 6, 2008, Acquired Ángel Berroa from the Kansas City Royals for Juan Rivera and cash. July 28, 2008, Acquired Casey Blake from the Cleveland Indians for Carlos Santana and Jon Meloan. July 31, 2008, Acquired Manny Ramirez from the Boston Red Sox in a 3-team trade, Andy LaRoche and Bryan Morris went to the Pittsburgh Pirates. August 19, 2008, Acquired Greg Maddux from the San Diego Padres for two players to be named later or cash considerations.
2008 roster 2008 Los Angeles Dodgers Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders Manager
Coaches (third base) (1st base) (hitting) (pitching) (bullpen) (hitting)
(bench)
Game log
|-align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 1 || March 31 || Giants || 5–0 || Penny (1–0) || Zito (0–1) || || 56,000 || 1–0 |-align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 2 || April 1 || Giants || 3–2 || Saito (1–0) || Yabu (0–1)|| || 44,054 || 2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 3 || April 2 || Giants || 2–1 || Lincecum (1–0) || Loaiza (0–1) || Wilson (1) || 43,217 || 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 4 || April 4 || @ Padres || 7–1 || Kuroda (1–0) || Thatcher (0–1) || || 42,474 || 3–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 5 || April 5 || @ Padres || 4–1 ||Peavy (2–0) || Penny (1–1) || || 38,819 || 3–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 6 || April 6 || @ Padres || 3–2 || Broxton (1–0) || Hoffman (0–2) || Saito (1) || 44,165 || 4–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 7 || April 7 || @ Diamondbacks || 9–3 || Haren (1–0) || Loaiza (0–2) || || 49,507 || 4–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 8 || April 8 || @ Diamondbacks || 10–5 || Davis (1–1) || Billingsley (0–1) || || 28,973 || 4–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 9 || April 9 || @ Diamondbacks || 4–3 || Owings (2–0) || Kuroda (0–1) || Lyon (1) || 23,331 || 4–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 10 || April 11 || Padres || 7–5 || Peavy (3–0) || Penny (1–2) || Hoffman (3) || 54,052 || 4–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 11 || April 12 || Padres || 11–1 || Lowe (1–0) || Young (1–1) || || 54,955 || 5–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 12 || April 13 || Padres || 1–0 || Maddux (2–0) || Billingsley (0–2) || Hoffman (4) || 47,357 || 5–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 13 || April 14 || Pirates || 6–4 || Yates (2–0) || Saito (1–1) || Capps (4) || 37,334 || 5–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 14 || April 15 || Pirates || 11–2 || Loaiza (1–2) || Morris (0–2) || || 37,896 || 6–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 15 || April 16 || Pirates || 8–1 || Penny (2–2) || Maholm (0–2) || || 53,629 || 7–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 16 || April 18 || @ Braves || 6–1 || Ohman (1–0) || Lowe (1–1) || || 38,250 || 7–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 17 || April 19 || @ Braves || 4–1 || James (1–1) ||Billingsley (0–3)|| Acosta (1)|| 40,451|| 7–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 18 || April 20 || @ Braves || 6–1 || Jurrjens (2–2)||Kuroda (1–2) || ||36,772 ||7–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 19 || April 21 || @ Reds || 9–3 || Penny (3–2) || Belisle (0–1) ||Park (1) || 14,446|| 8–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 20 || April 22 || @ Reds || 8–1 || Vólquez (3–0) || Kuo (0–1)|| || 14,763||8–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 21 || April 23 || Diamondbacks || 8–3 ||Lowe (2–1)|| Haren (3–1) ||Saito (2) || 42,590||9–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 22 || April 24 || Diamondbacks || 6–4 ||González (1–1)||Billingsley (0–4) ||Lyon (6) ||38,350 ||9–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 23 || April 25 || Rockies || 8–7 (13) || Park (1–0)|| Buchholz (1–2)|| ||53,205 || 10–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 24 || April 26 || Rockies || 11–3 ||Penny (4–2)||Redman (2–2) || ||50,469 || 11–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 25 || April 27 || Rockies || 3–2 (10) || Beimel (1–0)||Corpas (0–2) || || 50,670||12–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 26 || April 29 || @ Marlins || 7–6 || Beimel (2–0) ||Gregg (3–1) || Saito (3) ||11,334 || 13–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 27 || April 30 || @ Marlins || 13–1 ||Billingsley (1–4) ||Olsen (3–1) || || 10,792|| 14–13
|- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 28 || May 1 || @ Marlins || 5–3 || Beimel (3–0)|| Gregg (3–2) || Saito (4)|| 15,556||15–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 29 || May 2 || @ Rockies || 11–6 ||Penny (5–2)|| Francis (0–3) || ||30,291 ||16–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 30 || May 3 || @ Rockies || 12–7 ||Kuo (1–1) || de la Rosa (0–1) || || 38,597||17–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 31 || May 4 || @ Rockies || 7–2 || Cook (5–1) ||Lowe (2–2) || Buchholz (1)||43,726 ||17–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 32 || May 5 || Mets || 5–1 || Billingsley (2–4)|| Pérez (2–3)|| ||44,181 ||18–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 33 || May 6 || Mets || 5–4 ||Kuo (2–1) ||Figueroa (2–2) ||Saito (5) ||43,927 ||19–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 34 || May 7 || Mets || 12–1 || Maine (4–2) || Penny (5–3) || ||40,696 ||19–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 35 || May 9 || Astros || 7–1 || Moehler (1–0)||Lowe (2–3) || ||52,658 ||19–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 36 || May 10 || Astros || 5–0 || Sampson (2–3) ||Billingsley (2–5) || ||45,212 ||19–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 37 || May 11 || Astros || 8–5 || Geary (1–1) || Broxton (1–1) || Valverde (8) || 40,217 || 19–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 38 || May 13 || @ Brewers || 5–3 || Villanueva (2–4) ||Penny (5–4) || Gagné (10) ||26,465 ||19–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 39 || May 14 || @ Brewers || 6–4 ||Broxton (2–1) ||Mota (1–2) || Saito (6) ||27,562 ||20–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 40 || May 15 || @ Brewers || 7–2 || Billingsley (3–5) ||Sheets (4–1) || ||30,444 ||21–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 41 || May 16 || @ Angels || 4–2 || Saunders (7–1) || Kuroda (1–3) || Rodríguez (17)||44,047 || 21–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 42 || May 17 || @ Angels || 6–3 || Kuo (3–1) || Santana (6–1) || ||43,906 ||22–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 43 || May 18 || @ Angels || 10–2 || Weaver (3–5) || Lowe (2–4) || || 44,007 || 22–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 44 || May 19 || Reds || 6–5 || Saito (2–1) || Weathers (1–3) || || 34,669 || 23–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 45 || May 20 || Reds || 4–1 || Billingsley (4–5) || Belisle (1–4) || Saito (7) || 34,306 || 24–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 46 || May 21 || Reds || 5–2 || Kuroda (2–3) || Cueto (2–5) || Saito (8) || 33,224 || 25–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 47 || May 23 || Cardinals || 2–1 || Wainwright (4–2) || Lowe (2–5) || Franklin (3) || 52,281 || 25–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 48 || May 24 || Cardinals ||4–0 || Lohse (4–2)|| Penny (5–5)|| ||44,785 ||25–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 49 || May 25 || Cardinals || 4–3 (10) || Saito (3–1) || Parisi (0–1) || || 46,566 || 26–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 50 || May 26 || @ Cubs || 3–1|| Dempster (6–2) ||Billingsley (4–6) || Wood (11)||41,583 ||26–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 51 || May 27 || @ Cubs || 3–1 || Gallagher (2–1)|| Kuroda (2–4) || Wood (12) || 39,894 || 26–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 52 || May 28 || @ Cubs || 2–1 (10) || Howry (1–2) || Park (1–1)|| || 39,945 || 26–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 53 || May 29 || @ Mets || 8–4 || Vargas (2–2) || Penny (5–6) || || 52,886 || 26–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 54 || May 30 || @ Mets || 9–5 || Park (2–1) || Heilman (0–2) || || 52,176 || 27–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 55 || May 31 || @ Mets || 3–2 || Sánchez (2–0) || Broxton (2–2)|| Wagner (11) || 53,528 || 27–28
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 56 || June 1 || @ Mets || 6–1 || Santana (7–3) || Kuroda (2–5) || ||50,263 ||27–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 57 || June 2 || Rockies || 8–2 ||Lowe (3–5) || Reynolds (0–3) || ||39,098 ||28–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 58 || June 3 || Rockies || 3–0 || Francis (2–5) ||Penny (5–7) ||Fuentes (7) || 38,548||28–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 59 || June 4 || Rockies || 2–1|| Cook (8–3)||Kershaw (0–1) || Fuentes (8)|| 36,393||28–31 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 60 || June 5 || Cubs ||5–4 ||Howry (2-2) ||Saito (3–2) || Wood (17) ||44,988 ||28–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 61 || June 6 || Cubs ||3–0 ||Kuroda (3–5) || Gallagher (3–2) || ||52,484 ||29–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 62 || June 7 || Cubs || 7–3 || Lowe (4–5) || Zambrano (8–2) || ||50,020 ||30–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 63 || June 8 || Cubs || 3–1 || Marquis (4–3) || Penny (5–8) ||Wood (18) || 49,994|| 30–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 64 || June 10 || @ Padres || 7–2 || Proctor (1–0)|| Hampson (0–1)|| ||26,860 ||31–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 65 || June 11 || @ Padres ||4–1 || Wolf (5–4)||Billingsley (4–7) || Hoffman (15)|| 29,218||31–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 66 || June 12 || @ Padres ||9–0 || Peavy (5–3) || Kuroda (3–6) || || 36,354||31–35 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 67 || June 13 || @ Tigers || 5–0 || Galarrage (6–2)|| Lowe (4–6) ||Dolsi (2) || 40,430|| 31–36 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 68 || June 14 || @ Tigers || 12–7 || Bonine (1–0) || Penny (5–9) || ||42,348 ||31–37 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 69 || June 15 || @ Tigers || 5–4 || Robertson (5–6) || Park (2–2) || Jones (12) || 41,189 || 31–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 70 || June 17 || @ Reds ||3–1 || Billingsley (5–7) || Cueto (5–7) || Saito (9)|| 26,906||32–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 71 || June 18 || @ Reds || 6–1 || Lowe (5–6)|| Arroyo (4–6)|| ||20,055 ||33–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 72 || June 19 || @ Reds || 7–4 ||Stults (1–0) || Harang (3–10)||Saito (10) ||30,136 ||34–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 73 || June 20 || Indians || 6–4 (10) || Borowski (1–2) || Saito (3–3) || Kobayashi (4) || 50,667 || 34–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 74 || June 21 || Indians || 7–2 (11) || Kobayashi (4–3) || Wade (0–1) || || 45,036 || 34–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 75 || June 22 || Indians || 4–3 || Billingsley (6–7) || Byrd (3–8) || Saito (11) || 39,993 || 35–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 76 || June 24 || White Sox || 6–1 || Buehrle (5–6) || Lowe (5–7) || || 43,900 || 35–41 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 77 || June 25 || White Sox || 5–0 || Stults (2–0) || Floyd (8–4) || || 40,162 || 36–41 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffbbbb" | 78 || June 26 || White Sox || 2–0 || Danks (5–4) || Kershaw (0–2) || Jenks (17) || 37,956 || 36–42 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb"