Last updated: 3 October 2026
Reviewed by Jordan Morley, FA Level 2 Football Coach
WHIP = (walks + hits) ÷ innings pitched. It captures how many runners reach base per inning, controlling for what the pitcher directly causes. Under 1.00 is elite; 1.10–1.20 is good; above 1.40 is poor for a starter. WHIP is popular in fantasy baseball because it’s directly computable from box scores and reflects pitching control and contact prevention simultaneously.
- (BB + H) ÷ IP
- Under 1.00 = elite, 1.20 = good, 1.40+ = poor
- Used heavily in fantasy baseball
- Captures walk rate and hit prevention together
In practice
WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) measures how many baserunners a pitcher allows per inning on average, giving a clean, simple indicator of a pitcher's ability to limit opposing traffic on the bases — a WHIP under 1.20 is considered excellent, since it means a pitcher is allowing fewer than 1.2 baserunners per inning on average across a season.
FAQ
What's considered a good WHIP for a pitcher?
Below 1.20 is considered excellent, below 1.30 is solid, and above 1.40 generally indicates a pitcher who's allowing considerable traffic on the bases.
How is WHIP different from ERA?
WHIP measures baserunners allowed (walks and hits) per inning regardless of whether they score, while ERA measures actual earned runs allowed per nine innings — WHIP gives insight into a pitcher's baserunner prevention independent of what happens after runners reach base.