The 2008 New York Yankees season was the 106th season for the New York Yankees franchise. The Yankees hosted the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday July 15, 2008. It was the 83rd and last season at the original Yankee Stadium prior to the team's move to a new ballpark just north of the current stadium. It also marked the first season since 1993 that the Yankees failed to make it to the playoffs. Also, it would also be the first under a new team skipper, former team catcher Joe Girardi, who assumed the managerial role in the offseason. The next active playoff streak belonged to the NHL's Detroit Red Wings who made the playoffs every year since 1991 until it was broken in 2017.

The original Yankee Stadium was located in the Bronx in New York City. It was the home of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 2008, except for 1974–1975 when it was renovated. It hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the home of the New York Giants National Football League (NFL) team from October 21, 1956 through September 23, 1973. The stadium's nickname is "The House That Ruth Built" which is derived from Babe Ruth, the baseball superstar whose prime years coincided with the stadium's opening and the beginning of the Yankees' winning history.