2008 Major League Baseball season

2008 MLB season
LeagueMajor League Baseball
SportBaseball
DurationMarch 25 – October 29, 2008
Number of games162
Number of teams30
TV partner(s)Fox, TBS, ESPN
Draft
Top draft pickTim Beckham
Picked byTampa Bay Rays
Regular Season
Season MVPAL: Dustin Pedroia (BOS)
NL: Albert Pujols (STL)
Postseason
AL championsTampa Bay Rays
  AL runners-upBoston Red Sox
NL championsPhiladelphia Phillies
  NL runners-upLos Angeles Dodgers
World Series
ChampionsPhiladelphia Phillies
  Runners-upTampa Bay Rays
World Series MVPCole Hamels (PHI)
MLB seasons

The 2008 Major League Baseball season began on March 25, 2008, in Tokyo, Japan with the 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox defeating the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome 6–5 (in 10 innings) in the first game of a two-game series,[1][2] and ended on September 30 with the host Chicago White Sox defeating the Minnesota Twins in a one-game playoff to win the AL Central. The Civil Rights Game, an exhibition, in Memphis, Tennessee, took place March 29 when the New York Mets beat the Chicago White Sox, 3–2.

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays shortened their name to Tampa Bay Rays.

The All-Star Game was played on July 15 at the Old Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York City, with the AL winning 4 to 3 in 15 innings. The Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series 4 games to 1 over the Tampa Bay Rays. This was Philadelphia's second championship, and also the first World Series appearance for the Rays.