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

… he understood that on-base percentage was a far better tool to evaluate a hitter than batting average …

—Tom Verducci

Examples of on-base percentage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Caglianone is third in MLB in WAR this month, fifth in average, fourth in on-base percentage, fourth in slugging, tied for fifth in runs scored and tied for fifth in home runs. — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 22 June 2026

The struggles of that trio have almost everything to do with the Padres’ offense ranking last in runs, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging and OPS. — Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 June 2026

Behind Fernandez’s obsessive hitting tutelage, a young Bruins roster delivers national-best RBIs and on-base percentage. — Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026

Milwaukee ranks fourth in bases on balls and third in on-base percentage. — ABC News, 17 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for on-base percentage

• centage