2008 Tampa Bay Rays Season - Summary - June

June

Carlos Peña fractured his left index finger on June 4, and was placed on the disabled list. He returned to the team on June 26, wearing a protective padding outside of his left batting glove to help ease impact. Rays manager Joe Maddon stated that once the Rays finished interleague play, and returned to playing American League teams, Pena would consider putting Pena in the Designated Hitter role to help ease the workload on his left index finger, as the Rays were more concerned about his ability to throw the ball, more than having to swing the bat.

On June 5 the Rays were involved in a benches clearing brawl at Fenway Park with the Boston Red Sox following a series of events leading up from the previous night's game. In the previous game, Red Sox Center Fielder Coco Crisp attempted to steal 2nd Base, and slid into the base head first. Rays Shortstop Jason Bartlett who was covering the base on the play, knelt on his left knee while attempting to catch the throw from Catcher Dioner Navarro, which blocked the base and caused Crisp to make contact with Bartlett's leg, jamming Crisp's thumb. Crisp was safe on the play. Crisp stated that Bartlett's actions were "not something you do. You can do that, but that's shady. And he's not a bad dude, but that was shady. If you going to hurt me, I'm gonna come back and hurt you."

In the same game, Crisp reached base in his next at-bat, and attempted to steal 2nd Base once again. On this steal attempt however, Rays 2nd Baseman Akinori Iwamura was covering the bag. Unlike his previous steal attempt, Crisp slid feet first, resembling the way a runner would attempt to break up a double play by sliding into the player covering the base. Crisp was out on the play. Rays manager Joe Maddon engaged in a heated argument with Crisp upon Maddon making a mound visit, Crisp being in the Red Sox dugout at that time. Joe Maddon said after the game's conclusion, "I was not pleased with the slide. I totally felt there was intent to hurt our middle infielder and that's what I was upset with. There's no place for that when you intentionally try to hurt somebody."

The next night, Rays pitcher James Shields hit Crisp below the waist on the first pitch in Crisp's first at-bat of the game. Crisp then charged the mound, punches were thrown by both players, and both teams' benches emptied onto the field. Shields and Crisp were ejected from the game, as well as Rays Designated Hitter Jonny Gomes.

Following the brawl, suspensions were given to players on both teams. For the Rays, Shields was given a suspension of 6 games, and for their actions in the fight, Gomes and pitcher Edwin Jackson were given 5 game suspensions, Left Fielder Carl Crawford was given a 4 game suspension, and Iwamura was given a 3 game suspension. For the Red Sox, Crisp was suspended for 7 games, and for their actions in the fight, pitcher Jon Lester was given a 5 game suspension, and 1st Baseman Sean Casey was given a 3 game suspension.

Both Crisp and Iwamura appealed their suspensions. On June 27, it was announced that Iwamura's suspension was upheld, while Crisp's was reduced to 5 games, no longer making him the longest suspended player of all involved. Iwamura was unhappy that his suspension was upheld so that he would miss the first game of the next series against the Red Sox. Rays manager Joe Maddon stated that the decision "baffles" him and that he would seek an explanation from the appropriate decision-makers. Both suspensions started the following day, and the decision caused Crisp to miss the next series against the Rays at Tropicana Field.

On June 12, it was reported that Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon had made comments about the incident stating that in his opinion, it was "a bunch of bull what did. All I got to say is what comes around goes around, man. Payback's a bitch, I'll tell you what", and that "this thing isn’t all settled and done." Papelbon also said that things would be different at Tropicana Field the next time the Red Sox were there, as opposed to the last time in which the Red Sox were swept by the Rays for the first time in franchise history. In that series from June 30 to July 2, the Rays swept the Red Sox at home for the second time in the season, and Papelbon never pitched in the series.

On June 19, the Rays swept the Chicago Cubs in a 3-game series. It was the first time in franchise history that the Rays had swept a team with the best record in baseball, as the Cubs entered the series with the best record in the league at 45–25.

The Rays went 16–10 in June, improving to 50–32 overall and leading the division over the Red Sox by ½ game.