on-base percentage
noun
on-base per·cent·age
ˈȯn-ˈbās-pər-ˈsen-tij 
baseball
: a statistic that is expressed as a 3-digit decimal and that indicates the frequency with which a batter reaches base by a hit, a walk, or being hit by a pitch
Note: A batter with an on-base percentage of .350 has reached base 3.5 times for every 10 at bats.
Through Sunday he led the league in on-base percentage (.479) and hits (40) and was second in runs scored (21) and ninth in slugging percentage (.515).—
Ivan Maisel
Ivan Maisel… he understood that on-base percentage was a far better tool to evaluate a hitter than batting average …—Tom Verducci
Tom VerducciExamples of on-base percentage in a Sentence
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Boone chose Wells for the leadoff spot despite a career .312 on-base percentage that matched the MLB average last season.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
That hitter, at 2-2 last year, went on to have a microscopic .177 batting average, a .287 on-base percentage, an anemic .291 slugging percentage and a .578 OPS that would most likely have him on the next bus to the minors.
—Jesse Kirsch, NBC news, 26 Mar. 2025
The defense is a real issue, but Torres has a lifetime .334 on-base percentage.
—Cody Stavenhagen, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
That year, Moustakas also made the first of his three All-Star teams, hitting 22 home runs, driving in 82 runs, and posting a career-high .348 on-base percentage in the regular season.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
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Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
That hitter, at 2-2 last year, went on to have a microscopic .177 batting average, a .287 on-base percentage, an anemic .291 slugging percentage and a .578 OPS that would most likely have him on the next bus to the minors.
—Jesse Kirsch, NBC news, 26 Mar. 2025
The defense is a real issue, but Torres has a lifetime .334 on-base percentage.
—Cody Stavenhagen, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
That year, Moustakas also made the first of his three All-Star teams, hitting 22 home runs, driving in 82 runs, and posting a career-high .348 on-base percentage in the regular season.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for on-base percentage
Cite this Entry
“On-base percentage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on-base%20percentage. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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