The 2008 Milwaukee Brewers season was the 39th season for the Brewers in Milwaukee, their 11th in the National League, and their 40th overall.

The season opened with optimism as the team attempted to build on the success of the 2007 season – their first winning season since 1992.

With 12 games remaining in the regular season, manager Ned Yost was fired and replaced with bench coach Dale Sveum. Under Sveum, the team completed the regular season 7–5, finishing second place in the National League Central with a record of 90–72 and winning the NL Wild Card. With the Wild Card berth, the team clinched its first playoff berth in 26 years. The season was highlighted by the midseason trade for ace pitcher CC Sabathia, who posted a 1.65 ERA in 130.2 innings pitched and won all but two starts.

In the NLDS, the Brewers were defeated 3–1 by the Philadelphia Phillies, who went on to win the World Series.

Regular season The Brewers played 20 extra inning games, the most of any MLB team in 2008.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Roster 2008 Milwaukee Brewers Roster Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Other batters

Manager

Coaches (Bullpen) (third base) (pitching) (first base) (Bench) (hitting) (third base) (Bench)

Player stats

Note: Team leaders in batting and pitching are in bold.

Batting

Starters by position Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI C Jason Kendall 151 516 127 .246 2 49 1B Prince Fielder 159 588 162 .276 34 102 2B Rickie Weeks 129 475 111 .234 14 46 SS J.J. Hardy 146 569 161 .283 24 74 3B Bill Hall 128 404 91 .225 15 55 LF Ryan Braun 151 611 174 .285 37 106 CF Mike Cameron 120 444 108 .243 25 70 RF Corey Hart 157 612 164 .268 20 91

Other batters Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI Craig Counsell 110 248 56 .226 1 14 Gabe Kapler 96 229 69 .301 8 38 Russell Branyan 50 132 33 .250 12 20 Ray Durham 41 107 30 .280 3 13 Joe Dillon 56 75 16 .213 1 6 Mike Rivera 21 62 19 .306 1 14 Gabe Gross 16 43 9 .209 0 2 Tony Gwynn Jr. 29 42 8 .190 0 1 Hernán Iribarren 12 14 2 .143 0 1 Laynce Nix 10 12 1 .083 0 0 Mike Lamb 11 11 3 .273 0 0 Brad Nelson 9 7 2 .286 0 0 Alcides Escobar 9 4 2 .500 0 0 Ángel Salomé 3 3 0 .000 0 0 Mat Gamel 2 2 1 .500 0 0 Vinny Rottino 1 1 0 .000 0 0

Pitching

Starting pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G IP W L ERA SO Ben Sheets 31 198.1 13 9 3.09 158 Dave Bush 31 185.0 9 10 4.18 109 Jeff Suppan 31 177.2 10 10 4.96 90 Manny Parra 32 166.0 10 8 4.39 147 C.C. Sabathia 17 130.2 11 2 1.65 128 Yovani Gallardo 4 24.0 0 0 1.88 20

Other pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G IP W L ERA SO Carlos Villanueva 47 108.1 4 7 4.07 93 Seth McClung 37 105.1 6 6 4.02 87

Relief pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G W L SV ERA SO Salomón Torres 71 7 5 28 3.49 51 Brian Shouse 69 5 1 2 2.81 33 Guillermo Mota 58 5 6 1 4.11 50 Éric Gagné 50 4 3 10 5.44 38 David Riske 45 1 2 2 5.31 27 Mitch Stetter 30 3 1 0 3.20 31 Mark DiFelice 15 1 0 0 2.84 20 Tim Dillard 13 0 0 0 4.40 5 Todd Coffey 9 1 0 0 0.00 7 Derrick Turnbow 8 0 1 1 15.63 5 Julián Tavárez 7 0 1 0 8.59 10 Zach Jackson 2 0 0 0 4.91 1

Game log

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

|- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 2 || April 2 || @ Cubs || 8–2 || Suppan (1–0) || Lilly (0–1) || || 39,468 || 2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 3 || April 3 || @ Cubs || 6–3 || Dempster (1–0) || Bush (0–1) || Wood (1) || 37,973 || 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 4 || April 4 || Giants || 13–4 || Villanueva (1–0) || Sánchez (0–1) || Torres (1) || 45,212 || 3–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 5 || April 5 || Giants || 5–4 || Parra (1–0) || Correia (0–1) || Gagné (1) || 30,574 || 4–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 6 || April 6 || Giants || 7–0 || Sheets (1–0) || Zito (0–1) || || 44,014 || 5–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 7 || April 8 || Reds || 3–2 (10) || Torres (1–0) || Weathers (0–1) || || 27,717 || 6–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 8 || April 9 || Reds || 12–4 || Fogg (1–1) || Bush (0–2) || || 31,313 || 6–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 9 || April 10 || Reds || 4–1 || Harang (1–1) || Villanueva (1–1) || Cordero (2) || 25,023 || 6–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 10 || April 11 || @ Mets || 4–2 || Figueroa (1–0) || Parra (1–1) || Wagner (1) || 46,214 || 6–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 11 || April 12 || @ Mets || 5–3 || Sheets (2–0) || Santana (1–2) || Gagné (2)|| 54,701 || 7–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 12 || April 13 || @ Mets || 9–7 || Torres (2–0)|| Sosa (1–1)|| Gagné (3) || 52,794 || 8–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 13 || April 15 || @ Cardinals || 6–1 || Looper (3–0) || Bush (0–3) || || 39,438|| 8–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 14 || April 16 || @ Cardinals || 5–4 || Wainwright (2–1) || Villanueva (1–2) || Isringhausen (6) || 40,712 || 8–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 15 || April 17 || @ Cardinals || 5–3 (10) || Shouse (1–0) || Thompson (1–1) || Gagné (4) || 36,850 || 9–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 16 || April 18 || @ Reds || 5–2 || Sheets (3–0) || Arroyo (0–2) || Gagné (5) || 32,629 || 10–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 17 || April 19 || @ Reds || 5–3 (10) || Mota (1–0) || Weathers (0–2) || Gagné (6) || 26,410 || 11–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 18 || April 20 || @ Reds || 4–3 (10) || Burton (1–1) || Gagné (1–1) || || 26,902 || 11–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 19 || April 21 || Cardinals || 4–3 ||Franklin (1–1) || Turnbow (0–1) || Isringhausen (7) ||31,240 || 11–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 20 || April 22 || Cardinals || 9–8 (12) ||McClung (1–0) ||Isringhausen (1–1) || ||23,478 || 12–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 21 || April 23 || Phillies || 5–4 ||Stetter (1–0) ||Hamels (2–3)||Turnbow (1)||30,548 || 13–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 22 || April 24 || Phillies || 3–1 ||Gordon (1–2) ||Riske (0–1)||Lidge (5) ||23,905 ||13–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 23 || April 25 || Marlins || 3–0 || Gregg (3–0) || Mota (1–1) || || 40,088 || 13–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 24 || April 26 || Marlins || 4–3 || Torres (3–0) ||Pinto (1–1) ||Gagné (7) || 44,169 ||14–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 25 || April 27 || Marlins || 3–2 || Lindstrom (1–0) ||McClung (1–1)||Gregg (4)||41,656|| 14–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 26 || April 29 || @ Cubs || 10–7 ||Sheets (4–0) ||Marquis (1–1)|| Gagné (8)||39,543 || 15–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 27 || April 30 || @ Cubs || 19–5 || Dempster (4–0) || Suppan (1–1) || || 39,908 || 15–12

|- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 28 || May 1 || @ Cubs || 4–3 || Shouse (2–0) || Wood (2–1) || Gagné (9) || 40, 849 || 16–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 29 || May 2 || @ Astros || 7–4 || Oswalt (3–3) || Villanueva (1–3) || Valverde (6) || 39,715 || 16–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 30 || May 3 || @ Astros || 6–2 || Backe (2–3) || Parra (1–2) || || 35,002 || 16–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 31 || May 4 || @ Astros || 8–6 || Byrdak (1–0) || Stetter (1–1) || || 38,301 || 16–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 32 || May 6 || @ Marlins || 3–0 || Olsen (3–0) || Suppan (1–2)|| Gregg (6) || 10,113 || 16–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 33 || May 7 || @ Marlins || 6–2 || Badenhop (1–2) || Bush (0–4)|| || 10,405 || 16–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 34 || May 8 || @ Marlins || 7–2 || Kensing (1–0) || Villanueva (1–4)|| || 12,321 || 16–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 35 || May 9 || Cardinals || 4–3 || Shouse (3–0) || Isringhausen (1–4) || || 42,705 || 17–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 36 || May 10 || Cardinals || 5–3 || Springer (1–0) || Gagné (1–2) || Franklin (2) || 43,382 || 17–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 37 || May 11 || Cardinals || 5–3 || Suppan (2–2) || Looper (5–2) || Shouse (1) || 41,197 || 18–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 38 || May 12 || Cardinals || 8–3 || Bush (1–4) || Wainwright (3–2) || Mota (1) ||25,757 || 19–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 39 || May 13 || Dodgers || 5–3 || Villanueva (2–4) || Penny (5–4) ||Gagné (10) ||26,465 ||20–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 40 || May 14 || Dodgers || 6–4 || Broxton (2–1) || Mota (1–2) || Saito (6) || 27,562 ||20–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 41 || May 15 || Dodgers || 7–2 || Billingsley (3–5) || Sheets (4–1) || ||30,444 ||20–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 42 || May 17 || @ Red Sox || 5–3 || Matsuzaka (7–0) || Suppan (2–3) || ||37,409 || 20–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 43 || May 17 || @ Red Sox || 7–6 || Hansen (1–2) || Torres (3–1) || Timlin (1) ||37,847 ||20–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 44 || May 18 || @ Red Sox || 11–7 || Beckett (5–3) || Villanueva (2–5) || ||37, 204 ||20–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 45 || May 20 || @ Pirates || 7–2 || Parra (2–2) || Maholm (2–5)|| || 11,761 || 21–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 46 || May 21 || @ Pirates || 4–1 || Sheets (5–1) || Snell (2–3)|| || 8,805 ||22–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 47 || May 22 || @ Pirates || 8–4 || Gorzelanny (4–4) || Bush (1–5)|| || 12,887 || 22–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" | 48 || May 23 || @ Nationals || 5–1 || Sanches (1–0) || Suppan (2–4)|| || 28,007 || 22–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 49 || May 24 || @ Nationals || 5–2 || McClung (2–1) || Lannan (4–5) || Torres (2) || 30,029 || 23–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 50 || May 25 || @ Nationals || 7–6 || Rauch (3–1) || Mota (1–3) || || 35,567 || 23–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 51 || May 26 || @ Nationals || 4–3 || Villanueva (3–5) || Rivera (3–2) ||Torres (3)||28,552||24–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 52 || May 27 || Braves || 3–2 || Torres (4–1) || Bennett (0–3) || || 28,872 || 25–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 53 || May 28 || Braves || 1–0 || Suppan (3–4) || Reyes (2–3) || Torres (4) || 31,612 || 26–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 54 || May 29 || Braves || 8–1 || Campillo (2–0) || McClung (2–2) || || 33,334 || 26–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 55 || May 30 || Astros || 5–1 || Parra (3–2) || Backe 4–6 || || 32,039 ||27–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 56 || May 31 || Astros || 4–1 || Sheets (6–1) || Moehler (2–2)|| Torres (5) || 42,913 || 28–28

|- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 57 || June 1 || Astros || 10–1 || Bush (2–5) || Chacón (2–1) || || 44,613 || 29–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 58 || June 2 || D-backs || 4–3 || Mota (2–3) || Slaten (0–2) || Torres (6) ||27,562|| 30–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 59 || June 3 || D-backs || 7–1 || McClung (3–2) || Johnson (4–2) || Shouse (2) || 29,478 || 31–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 60 || June 4 || D-backs || 10–1 || Parra (4–2) || Owings (6–4) || ||27,539 || 32–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" | 61 || June 6 || @ Rockies || 6–4 || Corpas (1–3) || Mota (2–4) || Fuentes (9) ||30,558 || 32–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="FFBBBB" | 62 || June 7 || @ Rockies || 7–2 || Reynolds (1–3) || Bush (2–6) || ||37,283 ||32–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 63 || June 8 || @ Rockies || 3–2 || Suppan (4–4) || Francis (2–6) || Torres (7) ||32,256 ||33–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 64 || June 10 || @ Astros || 6–1 || Oswalt (5–6) || McClung (3–3) || ||35,058 ||33–31 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 65 || June 11 || @ Astros || 10–6 || Parra (5–2) || Backe (4–8) || ||33,806 ||34–31 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb"