How to read a baseball box score, one section at a time

Sources and resources

• MLB Baseball Basics — MLB's starting point for scorekeeping, abbreviations, rules, and common statistics.
• MLB standard-stat glossary — Official definitions for the batting and pitching columns found in a box score.
• MLB at-bat glossary — MLB's explanation of at-bats and why walks do not count in the AB column.
• MLB innings-pitched glossary — MLB's guide to reading each recorded out as one-third of an inning pitched.

What is a baseball box score?

A box score is a summary of a completed game. It shows how each team scored by inning, the final totals, every player's batting line, each pitcher's line, and notes for the plays that shaped the result.

A box score is not the same as a scorecard. A scorecard records the game play by play with fielding numbers and marks. A box score condenses those events into tables and totals you can scan after the game.

Start with the line score: innings, R, H, and E

The line score runs across the top. Each numbered column is an inning, and each cell shows how many runs that team scored in the inning. Read left to right to see when the lead changed or a rally began.

R, H, and E mean runs, hits, and errors. R is the final score. H is the team's total hits. E is the number of fielding errors charged to that team. A team can win with fewer hits because runs, not hits, decide the game.

• R — runs scored
• H — hits recorded
• E — fielding errors charged
• x — the home team did not need to bat in the bottom of the last inning

Read the batting table: AB, R, H, RBI, BB, and SO

The batting table lists players in batting-order order. AB is at-bats, R is runs scored, H is hits, RBI is runs batted in, BB is walks, and SO is strikeouts. A walk is a plate appearance but does not count as an at-bat.

Expanded box scores may also show AVG, OBP, SLG, or OPS. Those are rate stats, while the main game columns report what happened in this one game.

• AB — official at-bats
• R — runs scored by the player
• H — hits
• RBI — runs driven in
• BB — bases on balls, or walks
• SO or K — strikeouts

Decode the batting notes: 2B, 3B, HR, SB, DP, and LOB

Notes below the batting table add the details that one H column cannot show. 2B means double, 3B means triple, HR means home run, SB means stolen base, and DP means double play. Player names and inning numbers often follow the abbreviation.

LOB means left on base. Team LOB counts runners still on base when an inning ends. It helps show how many scoring chances ended without another run.

Read the pitching table: IP, H, R, ER, BB, SO, HR, and NP

The pitching table follows each pitcher used in the game. IP is innings pitched, H is hits allowed, R is total runs allowed, ER is earned runs, BB is walks, SO is strikeouts, HR is home runs allowed, and NP is number of pitches.

R and ER can differ because an error or passed ball may make a run unearned. ERA and WHIP may appear beside the game line, but those rates use more than the raw totals shown for one appearance.

• IP — innings pitched
• H — hits allowed
• R / ER — total runs and earned runs allowed
• BB / SO — walks and strikeouts
• HR — home runs allowed
• NP — pitches thrown

Why 6.1 innings is not a decimal

Each out is one-third of an inning pitched. A line of 6.1 IP means six innings plus one out. A line of 6.2 IP means six innings plus two outs. The digit after the point counts outs, not tenths.

Do not use 6.1 as a decimal when calculating ERA or WHIP. Convert it to 6⅓ innings first; convert 6.2 to 6⅔.

• 6.0 IP — six complete innings
• 6.1 IP — six innings plus one out
• 6.2 IP — six innings plus two outs

What W, L, SV, HLD, and BS mean beside a pitcher

W marks the winning pitcher, L the losing pitcher, and SV a save. Some box scores also show HLD for a hold and BS for a blown save. These are scoring decisions, not full grades of how well a pitcher worked.

A starter can pitch well without earning the win, and a reliever can earn the win after a short outing. Read the decision beside IP, runs, walks, strikeouts, and the game situation.

Follow substitutions and game notes

A substitute may appear indented beneath the player replaced or in a separate row. Position marks and notes explain pinch hitters, pinch runners, defensive moves, and pitching changes. The batting order stays in place even as new players enter its slots.

The final notes may list attendance, game time, weather, umpires, replay rulings, and unusual scoring plays. Use them when the main tables do not explain why a total changed.

Turn a box score into the game you remember

The box score preserves the public record: the score, players, hits, home runs, pitching lines, and game length. It cannot preserve where you sat, who came with you, the photos you took, or why the night mattered.

Log a completed game in Gamebook and its official box score connects to your ballpark visit, seat, companions, photos, and memory. One game then adds to your personal team records, player history, park count, and home-run totals.

Common questions