Last updated: 3 October 2026
Reviewed by Jordan Morley, FA Level 2 Football Coach
OPS combines On-Base Percentage (OBP, measuring how often a batter reaches base) and Slugging Percentage (SLG, measuring extra-base hit power) into a single number. MLB average OPS is approximately .720-.740; above .800 is above average; .900+ is excellent; 1.000+ is elite. OPS+ adjusts for ballpark and league context with 100 as average. Research shows OPS is one of the most predictive single batting statistics for run production, though OPS+ and wOBA (weighted OBA) are considered more accurate.
- OBP + SLG
- MLB average ~.720-.740
- OPS+ adjusts for park and era
- Above .900 = excellent
In practice
OPS (on-base plus slugging) combines a hitter's ability to avoid making an out with their ability to hit for power into one simple number, and despite being a fairly crude combination (it weights the two components unevenly), it correlates strongly enough with overall offensive value that it remains one of the most commonly cited advanced stats in mainstream baseball coverage.
FAQ
What is considered a good OPS in baseball?
Above .800 is considered very good, above .900 is excellent/All-Star caliber, and above 1.000 is an elite, MVP-level offensive season.
Why do some analysts prefer wOBA over OPS?
OPS adds on-base percentage and slugging percentage together as if they're equally weighted and linearly related to run production, which isn't quite accurate — wOBA uses run-value-weighted calculations for a more precise measure of overall offensive contribution.