What is OPS in Baseball? A Comprehensive Guide
What is OPS in Baseball? OPS stands for On-Base Plus Slugging. In baseball, this statistic is crucial for measuring a player’s batting performance. This merges the OBP with the SLG. Over time, baseball has become more technical with the addition of new metrics. For example, nowadays, fans are acquainted with complex terms like WAR (wins above replacement), but although OPS is pretty simple, it is very effective.
The modern on-base plus slugging metric has gained popularity over time, and its dexterity surpasses that of conventional statistics, such as the batting average. A player’s OPS alone illustrates their ability to get on base and produce powerful hits. In other words, it provides a single figure representing a player’s offensive strength, which is the essence of OPS.
What is OPS in Baseball? Definition
OPS means On-Base Plus Slugging. To calculate the OPS rating, both the On-base Percentage (OBP) and Slugging Percentage (SLG) are combined. A player’s OBP shows how well they hit beyond the standard run, while their SLG shows how well they hit beyond the standard run.
In other words, OPS is a important factor in baseball that indicates how effective a hitter is at reaching bases. For example, two players may have the same batting average, but one primarily hits singles, while the other hits mostly doubles and home runs. The power hitter will naturally have a higher OPS.
What is Slugging Percentage?
The slugging percentage (SLG) is used to evaluate a player’s power-hitting ability based on how many bases they earn per at-bat. The SLG emphasizes higher-value hits such as doubles, triples, and home runs instead of the batting average, which treats all hits equally.
- A single is worth one
- A double is worth two
- A triple is worth three
- A home run is worth four
Let’s consider a player who records three singles, five doubles, and one home run in 22 at-bats. Their SLG (Slugging Percentage) would be calculated as follows:
SLG = (3 × 1 + 5 × 2 + 1 × 4) ÷ 22
Breaking it down:
- Singles: 3 × 1 = 3
- Doubles: 5 × 2 = 10
- Home Runs: 1 × 4 = 4
SLG = (3 + 10 + 4) ÷ 22 = 17 ÷ 22 ≈ 0.773
In this scenario, the player would average approximately 0.773 bases per at-bat.
What is the On-Base Percentage?
This statistic tracks how frequently a player gets on base, by considering hits, walks, and times hit by a pitch. It excludes reaching base due to errors or fielder’s choices, as these factors are beyond the player’s control.
How to Calculate OBP?
An example is given below:
If a player records 30 hits, 12 walks, and is hit by a pitch 3 times in 95 plate appearances, their OBP would be:
OBP = (30 + 12 + 3) / 95 = 0.474
A high on-base percentage indicates that the player frequently reaches base, which boosts the team’s scoring opportunities.
Calculating OPS
OPS = OBP + SLG = 0.480 + 0.900 = 1.380
An OPS above one is exceptionally high, indicating that the player excels at getting on base and hitting effectively.
What is a Good OPS in Baseball?
OPS has no weighting, so it varies from season to season; however, the average tends to follow this pattern:
Less than 0.700: Below Average
0.700 – 0.800: Average
0.800 – 0.900: Good
More than 0.900: Excellent
Close to 1.000: Elite
The average OPS applicable for a given season and or league may shift with time. For instance, it has averaged around 0.730 to 0.740 in recent years. Those players who achieve an OPS of less than 0.80 are considered the most persons. Any figure above 1.000 is usually a very high expectation and is therefore considered genuinely elite status.
Who has Great OPS?
Who has Great OPS?
Numerous legendary players have achieved remarkable OPS figures throughout various eras. Babe Ruth tallies the highest career OPS of all time with 1.164, and Teddy Williams’s 1.116 follows closely. Their ability to both get on base and hit effectively makes them considered some of the greatest in baseball history.
More recently, Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuña Jr. have also been able to attain OPS scores beyond the threshold of 1.000, proving that they indeed are today’s celebrities of the sport.
Conclusion
Now you got an answer to : What is OPS in Baseball? The next time you review a player’s stats, take a closer look at their OPS; it might offer more insight than expected.
