Introduction
OPS in baseball stands for On-base Plus Slugging, a statistics that combines a player’s on-base percentage (OBP) and slugging percentage (SLG) to measure their overall offensive productivity. Understanding OPS is crucial for evaluating a player’s performance at the plate.
On-base Percentage (OBP)
OBP measures a player’s ability to get on base through hits, walks, and hit by pitches. It is calculated by adding hits, walks, and hit by pitches and dividing by at-bats, walks, hit by pitches, and sacrifice flies.
Slugging Percentage (SLG)
SLG measures a player’s power at the plate by calculating the total bases a player earns on hits. It is calculated by dividing total bases by at-bats.
How to Calculate OPS
To calculate OPS, simply add a player’s OBP and SLG together. For example, if a player has an OBP of .350 and SLG of .500, their OPS would be .850.
Importance of OPS
OPS provides a comprehensive view of a player’s offensive abilities by considering both their ability to get on base and hit for power. A high OPS indicates a player who excels in both aspects of hitting.
Examples
- Player A has an OBP of .400 and SLG of .450, giving them an OPS of .850.
- Player B has an OBP of .350 and SLG of .550, giving them an OPS of .900.
Case Studies
Player C has an OBP of .320 and SLG of .480, giving them an OPS of .800. Despite having a lower OBP than Player A, Player C’s ability to hit for power boosts their overall offensive productivity.
Statistics
In the 2020 MLB season, Mike Trout led the league with an OPS of 1.038, highlighting his dominance as one of the best hitters in baseball. OPS has become a key metric for evaluating player performance and identifying impact players.
