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
Recent Examples on the Web
Entering Friday, the Mariners ranked second-worst in MLB in runs per game and strikeouts, and last in batting average, on-base percentage and total bases.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
The Panthers currently have a player who has the best batting average in the ACC and the second-best on-base percentage in the nation.
—Cassidy Wood, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
The Miami Marlins’ infielder finds himself amid the best start to his major league career, leading his team in hits, runs, batting average and on-base percentage.
—Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
That season, Robinson did nothing less than lead the league in home runs, RBIs, runs, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and total bases and was the unanimous league Most Valuable Player.
—Raymond Daniel Burke, Baltimore Sun, 23 Mar. 2026
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Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
The Panthers currently have a player who has the best batting average in the ACC and the second-best on-base percentage in the nation.
—Cassidy Wood, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
The Miami Marlins’ infielder finds himself amid the best start to his major league career, leading his team in hits, runs, batting average and on-base percentage.
—Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
That season, Robinson did nothing less than lead the league in home runs, RBIs, runs, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and total bases and was the unanimous league Most Valuable Player.
—Raymond Daniel Burke, Baltimore Sun, 23 Mar. 2026
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 22 Apr. 2026.
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