2008 Kansas City Royals season
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Attendance Record
111 August 1 White Sox 4 - 2 Vázquez ( 8-9 ) Hochevar ( 6-9 ) 21,291 50-60
112 August 2 White Sox 9 - 7 Davies ( 5-2 ) Buehrle ( 8-10 ) 21,866 51-60
113 August 3 White Sox 14 - 3 Greinke ( 9-7 ) Richard ( 0-2 ) 15,268 52-60
114 August 4 Red Sox 4 - 3 Meche ( 10-9 ) Buchholz ( 2-7 ) 24,378 53-60
115 August 5 Red Sox 8 - 2 Beckett ( 10-8 ) Bannister ( 7-10 ) 22,069 53-61
116 August 6 Red Sox 8 - 2 Wakefield ( 7-8 ) Hochevar ( 6-10 ) 24,294 53-62
117 August 8 Twins 4 - 1 Slowey ( 8-8 ) Davies ( 5-3 ) 33,653 53-63
118 August 9 Twins 7 - 3 Liriano ( 2-3 ) Greinke ( 9-8 ) 27,960 53-64
119 August 10 Twins 5 - 4 ( 12 ) Tejeda ( 1-2 ) Breslow ( 0-1 ) 27,960 54-64
120 August 12 @ White Sox 9 - 0 Vázquez ( 9-10 ) Bannister ( 7-11 ) 31,099 54-65
121 August 13 @ White Sox 4 - 0 Buehrle ( 10-10 ) Hochevar ( 6-11 ) 37,838 54-66
122 August 14 @ White Sox 9 - 2 Broadway ( 1-0 ) Davies ( 5-4 ) 32,788 54-67
123 August 15 @ Yankees 4 - 3 Núñez ( 4-1 ) Rivera ( 4-5 ) 53,067 55-67
124 August 16 @ Yankees 3 - 2 ( 13 ) Robertson ( 3-0 ) Fulchino ( 0-1 ) 54,180 55-68
125 August 17 @ Yankees 15 - 6 Mussina ( 16-7 ) Bannister ( 7-12 ) 54,114 55-69
126 August 19 @ Indians 9 - 4 Reyes ( 2-1 ) Hochevar ( 6-12 ) 18,946 55-70
127 August 20 @ Indians 8 - 5 Rincón ( 3-3 ) Soria ( 1-3 ) 23,920 55-71
128 August 21 @ Indians 10 - 3 Lee ( 18-2 ) Greinke ( 9-9 ) 21,391 55-72
129 August 22 Tigers 4 - 3 Verlander ( 10-13 ) Bannister ( 7-13 ) 18,361 55-73
130 August 23 Tigers 4 - 0 Miner ( 7-4 ) Davies ( 5-5 ) 27,346 55-74
The Kansas City Royals' 2008 season began with the team searching for its 15th manager in franchise history. Trey Hillman, former minor league baseball and Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters (Nippon Professional Baseball) manager, was hired as the team's skipper on October 19, 2007. The team looked to improve upon its record of 69-93 from 2007. The team's payroll for the 2008 season was initially estimated to be around $57 million, and wound up at $58 million (24th in the major leagues). Despite another last-place finish in 2007, the Royals sought a breakout season in 2008. Renovations to Kauffman Stadium were ongoing throughout the 2008 season and it was completed in time for Opening Day in 2009. Following the team's 81st game, the mid-way point of the 2008 season, the Royals had a 37-44 record. The closest the team managed to crawl back to a .500 record after their 9-6 start to the season was within 6 games in mid-July. After compiling a 7-20 record in August, the Royals were eliminated from recording their first winning season since 2003. However, an 18-8 record in September let the Royals finish with a 75-87 record, their best since 2003.