The team finished in fourth place in the National League West with a 72–90 record, 12 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Giants opening day starter Barry Zito allowed 24 earned runs in 25 innings in spring training.
Relievers Merkin Valdez, Erick Threets, and Keiichi Yabu earned spots on the opening day roster.
Noah Lowry, Vinnie Chulk, Kevin Frandsen and Omar Vizquel started the season on the disabled list.
[7][8] On May 16, 2008, Peter Magowan, the owner who brought Barry Bonds to San Francisco, built a new ballpark and kept major league baseball in the city, announced he would be stepping down as the managing partner of the Giants.