What OPS means in baseball and how to calculate it

Sources and resources

• MLB OPS glossary — MLB's definition of on-base plus slugging and what the combined number measures.
• MLB on-base percentage glossary — MLB's guide to the first half of OPS: how often a hitter reaches base.
• MLB slugging percentage glossary — MLB's guide to the second half of OPS: total bases per at-bat.
• MLB OPS+ glossary — MLB's explanation of the league- and park-adjusted version of OPS.

What does OPS stand for in baseball?

OPS stands for on-base plus slugging. It combines two parts of hitting into one number: how often a batter reaches base and how many total bases the batter produces per at-bat.

The first part rewards avoiding outs through hits, walks, and hit-by-pitches. The second rewards extra-base power by giving doubles, triples, and home runs more weight than singles.

How do you calculate OPS?

The formula is OPS = on-base percentage + slugging percentage. You do not multiply the figures or convert them into whole-number percentages before adding them.

For example, a hitter with a .360 OBP and a .500 SLG has an .860 OPS. A .400 OBP plus a .600 SLG produces a 1.000 OPS.

• .360 OBP + .500 SLG = .860 OPS
• .400 OBP + .600 SLG = 1.000 OPS
• Higher OPS means a stronger combined rate of reaching base and hitting for power.

What does on-base percentage add to OPS?

On-base percentage, or OBP, measures how often a batter reaches base per plate appearance. MLB includes hits, walks, and hit-by-pitches, while excluding reaches on errors, fielder's choices, and dropped third strikes.

OBP gives OPS its plate-discipline and out-avoidance side. A walk helps OBP even though it does not add a total base to slugging percentage.

What does slugging percentage add to OPS?

Slugging percentage, or SLG, is total bases divided by at-bats. A single counts for one total base, a double two, a triple three, and a home run four.

SLG gives OPS its power side. Unlike batting average, it does not treat every hit as equal, and unlike OBP, it does not include walks or hit-by-pitches.

Is a higher or lower OPS better?

A higher OPS is better for a hitter. It means the player is producing more value through some mix of reaching base and hitting for power.

Raw OPS should still be read in context. League scoring, season, home ballpark, playing time, and role can change what counts as strong. Comparing hitters from the same league and season is more useful than applying one fixed cutoff everywhere.

What is the difference between OPS and OPS+?

OPS is the direct sum of OBP and SLG. OPS+ adjusts that performance for league and ballpark, then sets 100 as league average.

An OPS+ of 150 means the adjusted result is 50 percent above league average. OPS+ is useful across parks and eras; raw OPS is easier to calculate from a standard stat line.

What does OPS leave out?

OPS does not adjust for ballpark or league conditions on its own, and it weights one point of OBP the same as one point of SLG. It also does not measure defense or baserunning.

Use OPS as a fast summary of hitting, not a complete measure of a player's value. OPS+, fielding data, baserunning, role, and playing time add useful context.

Track the hitters and OPS lines you saw in person

A box score preserves the hits, walks, doubles, triples, and home runs behind a player's batting line. Those game records can also build a personal history of the hitters you watched live.

Log a completed game in Gamebook and it connects the official players and box score to your ballpark visit, seat, score, home runs, companions, photos, and memory.

Common questions