On-base plus slugging (OPS) has become one of the most popular offensive metrics in baseball over the last few decades. It aims to combine a batter’s ability to get on base and hit for power into one number. While not perfect, ops provide a quick snapshot of a hitter’s productivity.
In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about ops in baseball. We’ll look at what goes into the calculation, the greatest ops seasons and careers in MLB history, and more.
Table of Contents
History of ops
The formula for calculating on-base plus slugging was created by baseball statistician John Thorn in 1984. While on-base percentage and slugging percentage have been around for much longer, Thorn brought them together to evaluate a hitter’s whole offensive performance with one statistic.
Ops became more mainstream in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It was featured prominently in Michael Lewis’ classic book Moneyball, which is about how teams were starting to utilize analytics. Ops is now ubiquitous in coverage of MLB and a key stat for fantasy baseball.
Why ops is important
The main advantage of ops is simplicity. Rather than trying to weigh the exact contribution of every way a batter reaches base and advances runners, ops consolidates offense into two components:
- Getting on base
- Hitting for power
These have proven over time to be the most vital offensive skills. Ops combines them into one tidy metric. While there are some limitations (more on that later), ops do an excellent job of capturing a player’s whole offensive production with one number.
Components of ops
On-base plus slugging is the sum of its two parts: on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Let’s break those down further.
On-base percentage
On-base percentage (OBP) measures how frequently a batter reaches base. This includes:
- Hits
- Walks
- Hit by pitches
OBP Formula:
(Hits + Walks + Hit by pitches) / (At bats + Walks + Hit by pitches + Sacrifice flies)
Players with a higher OBP have better plate discipline and the ability to get on base consistently. This versatility helps manufacture more runs.
Slugging percentage
Slugging percentage gauges a player’s power. It assigns specific weights to each type of hit:
- Single: 1 base
- Double: 2 bases
- Triple: 3 bases
- Home run: 4 bases
The slugging formula divides the player’s total bases by their at-bats for a power quotient:
Total bases / At bats = Slugging percentage
Power hitters obviously boast higher slugging percentages thanks to all of their extra-base knocks and homers clearing the fences.
By adding OBP and slugging percentage together, ops puts equal weight on a player’s complete ability to reach base and hit for extra power.
Leaders in ops
Now let’s look at the greatest ops producers in MLB history, among hitters both all-time and still active today.
All-time leaders
Here are the all-time ops leaders in baseball history (entering 2023):
- Babe Ruth – 1.1636
- Ted Williams – 1.1155
- Lou Gehrig – 1.0798
- Barry Bonds – 1.0512
- Jimmie Foxx – 1.0376
As you can see, ops helps quantify and rank some of the most legendary hitters ever. The top five include four former MVPs and Triple Crown winners.
While the leaderboard did favor older eras when pitchers weren’t as skilled, the cream still rises to the top in terms of all-around offensive dominance.
Active leaders
Among current players, these five hitters have posted the best career ops totals:
- Mike Trout – 1.000
- Juan Soto – .981
- Bryce Harper – .940
- Paul Goldschmidt – .937
- Freddie Freeman – .892
Trout is on a potential GOAT track offensively. In addition to average and home runs, his rare blend of patience and power stands out in ops as well. He seems most likely to make a run at joining the 1.000 Ops Club.
Soto and Harper demonstrate how a shrewd eye for walks can boost OBP and overall ops. Freeman doesn’t excel in one area but is consistently well above average in both getting on base and slugging.
Best ops seasons
While career ops leaders put up elite numbers year after year, some individual seasons also stand out for their sensational production.
Highest single-season ops
Here are the five best ops seasons ever by individual hitters:
- Barry Bonds, 2002 – 1.3807
- Babe Ruth, 1920 – 1.3791
- Babe Ruth, 1921 – 1.3587
- Ted Williams, 1941 – 1.2875
- Babe Ruth, 1923 – 1.2597
Barry Bonds posting the best-ever ops in 2002 while smashing 73 homers shows how much impact performance-enhancing drugs had during the steroid era. For decades, no one could touch the ops Bonds, and Ruth put up thanks to chemical assistance.
Ted Williams is the only player from a later era to sneak into the top five. His unmatched plate discipline and power translated into some towering ops figures.
Most consistent high-ops
We can’t ignore consistency and ops excellence across multiple seasons either. Here are the hitters with the most seasons posting an ops over 1.000:
- Babe Ruth – 9 seasons
- Ted Williams – 8 seasons
- Barry Bonds – 8 seasons
- Lou Gehrig – 7 seasons
- Rogers Hornsby – 6 seasons
Again, we see the two giants of early baseball ops, Ruth and Williams, near the top. But also appearing is Rogers Hornsby, who played before ops were measured but had the skills that would have produced strong numbers.
Impact of high ops
Now that we understand what goes into ops and who posts the best numbers, what does it actually tangibly provide hitters and teams?
For teams
In terms of raw run production, many studies have found that ops do the best job correlating with team scoring among common baseball stats.
This excellent 2010 study by Tangotiger found the relationship between team ops and runs scored has gotten even stronger in recent seasons. That indicates smart teams should continue weighting it appropriately.
Simply put, adding players with higher ops scores typically leads directly to increased run totals. And the more runs you score, the more games you’ll win.
For players
While ops don’t incorporate speed, positional value, or defense, it remains vital for player evaluation.
OPS gives individual hitters and their agents a clear offensive standard to point towards in arbitration and contract negotiations. The higher a batter’s career ops, the more leverage they typically wield arguing for bigger deals.
MVP and Hall of Fame cases also often rely heavily on ops as a core piece of a player’s whole resume. For example, David Ortiz didn’t record enough hits or play the field. But with a .931 career ops, his dominance at the plate still earned induction into Cooperstown.
Future ops leaders
Looking ahead, new young talent floods into MLB each season. Some rookies and developing hitters stand out as most likely to climb the ops leaderboards down the line.
Rookies to watch
Top rookies primed to make a 2023 ops splash include:
- Catcher Francisco Alvarez (Mets)
- Outfielder Corbin Carroll (Diamondbacks)
- Shortstop Noelvi Marte (Mariners)
These three showed elite, well-rounded offensive tools rapidly rising through minors last season. Their refined approaches could translate to gaudy ops figures from the jump.
Breakout candidates
Veterans potentially ready to post new career-best ops seasons include:
- Shortstop Bo Bichette (Blue Jays)
- First baseman Matt Olson (Braves)
- Outfielder Eloy Jimenez (White Sox)
Bichette and Olson both showed massive power breakouts last season. Cutting down strikeouts and improving walk rates could see their value climb more.
If Jimenez stays healthy, he’s shown the raw ability to be one of baseball’s truly elite young sluggers. Consistent hard contact and ops numbers over 1.000 feel within reach.
Factors influencing ops
Many variables beyond a player’s own talent impact the ops they’re able to produce in a given season. A few key factors include:
Ballpark factors
Some MLB stadiums heavily favor hitters, while others give pitchers an edge. Extreme parks like Coors Field in Colorado have expanded ops totals for years. Meanwhile, OPS dips noticeably in pitcher’s havens like Oracle Park in San Francisco.
Lineup position
A player’s lineup slot also shapes opportunities. Leadoff hitters get more plate appearances but tend to post lower individual ops numbers. Power-focused cleanup hitters swing for the fences more, producing higher ops figures but more strikeouts.
Criticisms of ops
Despite being a popular catch-all offensive metric, some drawbacks prevent ops from being a perfect stat.
Limitations
The simplicity of adding OBP and slugging together means ops overlooks some modern offensive concepts like hitting the ball hard, using all fields, and scoring runners from third base with less than two outs. Players like Tony Gwynn, who didn’t walk or hit many homers, can be undervalued.
It also remains park- and era-dependent without precise adjustments made. Comparing players across decades is flawed.
Alternatives
Stats like weighted runs created (wRC+) and weighted on-base average (wOBA) incorporate additional offensive factors beyond OBP and slugging. Although not as mainstream accessible, they provide added precision in assessing players.
Conclusion
Despite some flaws, on-base plus slugging remains one of baseball’s most useful measures of all-around offensive performance. It elegantly balances simplicity and completeness.
While ops standings will continue to be dominated by past legends, current stars like Mike Trout and Juan Soto show the stat helps capture all-time greatness with each generation. Even with advances in metrics, ops isn’t going away as a key indicator and goal.
Hitters should keep striving toward a 1.000 ops benchmark, which typically signals MVP contention. Overall team ops relates closely to critical run production as well. The next big superstars will emerge towards the top of the ops leaderboards.
Summary
On-base plus slugging combines getting on base and power into one offensive metric. All-time greats like Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Barry Bonds posted the best ops figures by maximizing their plate discipline and extra-base hits. While some limitations exist, ops condenses overall batting production very effectively.
FAQs
What is a good OPS in baseball?
An OPS of .900 and above is considered excellent. .800 to .900 is above average. At .700 OPS or lower, teams will likely seek an upgrade.
Has any MLB player ever had a 2.000 OPS?
No player has ever recorded a 2.000 ops over a full season. The record belongs to Barry Bonds at 1.3807 in 2002.
Who has the highest career OPS in baseball history?
Legendary Yankees slugger Babe Ruth holds the record for best career ops at 1.1636. Ted Williams (1.1155) and Lou Gehrig (1.0798) follow next.
Is OPS better than batting average?
Yes, ops better measures a hitter’s overall offensive impact than old stats like batting average. Ops incorporates both getting on base and hitting for power.
Why don’t the Colorado Rockies lead MLB in OPS?
While Colorado’s Coors Field boosts ops significantly, other parks have increased offense recently too. Teams like the Blue Jays, Phillies and Cardinals led ops in 2022. Better hitters and approaches matter most.
