Batting average is hits divided by at-bats

Batting average measures how often a batter gets a hit. The formula is straightforward: divide the total number of hits by the total number of at-bats, then round to three decimal places. A batter with 120 hits in 400 at-bats has a batting average of .300 (120 ÷ 400 = 0.300).

The result is always expressed as a decimal with three digits after the point, even though the leading zero is usually dropped. A .300 average is considered excellent in Major League Baseball; a .250 average is below average.

Key Takeaways

  • Batting average equals hits divided by at-bats, expressed as a three-digit decimal.
  • An at-bat counts every time a batter completes a plate appearance with a hit, out, or strikeout, but not walks or sacrifices.
  • A .300 average or higher is considered very good in professional baseball.
  • Batting average does not account for extra-base hits or walks, so it is often paired with other statistics for a fuller picture.
  • You can calculate season, career, or single-game batting average using the same formula.

What counts as a hit and what counts as an at-bat

A hit is any fair ball that allows the batter to reach base safely without an error by the defense. This includes singles, doubles, triples, and home runs. A batter who reaches base on an error, a fielder's choice, or a hit-by-pitch does not get credit for a hit.

An at-bat is a plate appearance that ends in a hit, an out, or a strikeout. Walks, hit-by-pitches, and sacrifice bunts or flies do not count as at-bats. This is why a player can have more plate appearances than at-bats in a season—the difference is made up of walks and sacrifices.

For example, if a batter goes to the plate 450 times in a season but 40 of those are walks, the batter has 410 at-bats, not 450. Only the remaining 410 plate appearances count toward the at-bat total used in the batting average formula.

Step-by-step calculation with a real example

Suppose a batter finishes the season with 156 hits and 520 at-bats. Divide 156 by 520:

156 ÷ 520 = 0.30

The result is .300, which rounds to three decimal places. If the division gives you more than three decimal places—say 0.3076—round to the nearest thousandth. In this case, 0.3076 rounds to .308.

You can use the same method for any time period: a single game, a week, a month, a season, or a career. The formula never changes—just use the hit and at-bat totals for whatever period you are measuring.

Why batting average leaves out important information

Batting average treats all hits the same. A single and a home run both count as one hit, even though a home run is far more valuable. A batter who hits mostly singles will have the same batting average as a batter who hits mostly home runs, as long as the total number of hits is the same.

Batting average also ignores walks. A batter who gets on base via a walk is just as valuable to the team as a batter who gets a hit, but walks do not raise batting average. This is why baseball analysts often use on-base percentage (hits plus walks plus hit-by-pitches, divided by at-bats plus walks plus hit-by-pitches plus sacrifice flies) alongside batting average.

For a more complete picture of a batter's performance, look at slugging percentage (total bases divided by at-bats), which rewards extra-base hits, or on-base plus slugging (OPS), which combines both measures.

Batting average across different time periods

You can calculate batting average for any stretch of games or time. A batter's season average is the total hits divided by total at-bats for the entire season. A career average uses all hits and at-bats from a player's entire professional career.

Some players have a higher batting average in certain months or against certain types of pitchers. To find a batter's average against left-handed pitchers only, for example, count only the hits and at-bats that came against left-handed pitchers, then divide.

Baseball reference sites and team websites usually break down batting average by month, by opponent, and by home and away games, so you can see how a batter performs in different situations without doing the math yourself.

Common batting average benchmarks in professional baseball

In Major League Baseball, a .300 average has long been the mark of an excellent hitter. Fewer than 10 percent of batters finish a season at .300 or higher. A .250 average is roughly league average in recent years, though this has shifted slightly over time. A .200 average is considered poor.

These benchmarks explore to the regular season. Postseason averages are often lower because batters face the best pitchers and have less time to adjust. A .250 postseason average is respectable; a .300 postseason average is outstanding.

Keep in mind that batting average varies by era and league. Minor league averages tend to be higher than major league averages because the pitching is less consistent. Historical averages from the early 1900s are often higher than modern averages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a sacrifice fly count as an at-bat?

No. A sacrifice fly occurs when a batter hits a fly ball that allows a runner to score, and the batter is thrown out. It does not count as an at-bat, so it does not affect batting average. The batter gets credit for a run batted in (RBI) but not for an at-bat.

What if a batter has zero at-bats?

A player with no at-bats has no batting average. This can happen early in a season if a player has only appeared as a pinch-runner or has only received walks. Once the player gets at least one at-bat, a batting average can be calculated.

Can batting average go above 1.000?

No. Batting average can never exceed 1.000 because you cannot have more hits than at-bats. The highest possible average is 1.000, which would mean a batter got a hit in every single at-bat.

How do I find a player's batting average?

MLB.com, ESPN, Baseball-Reference.com, and team websites all display current and historical batting averages. You can also calculate it yourself using the formula if you have access to a player's hit and at-bat totals.