OPS is an offensive term that stands for “On-Base Plus Slugging”. This stat combines two hitting statistics; On-Base Percentage (OBP) and Slugging Percentage (SLG), into one comprehensive number.
OPS was created to provide an improved overall picture of what a player can bring to the table offensively. To calculate OPS, we simply add OBP with SLG.
OBP + SLG
Let’s break OPS down into two parts. On-Base Percentage is a stat used to measure how often a particular hitter gets on base. This includes calculating the number of walks, hits, and hit-by-pitches.
Slugging Percentage is another metric that sets out to measure how many bases the hitter averages per at bat. This stat exists because not all hits are worth the same, which Batting Average doesn’t address. In SLG, Doubles, Triples, and Home Runs will count for more than a single.
In a season where a hitter posts a .350 OBP and a .515 SLG, he would then have a .865 OPS. By adding both of these stats together into OPS, we can more accurately account for how much offensive production a hitter has provided to his team rather than solely looking at either metric alone.
Summary
OPS is an offensive statistic that continues to build upon batting average, OBP, and SLG to better quantify a hitter’s performance during a season. While it’s a beginner metric for some, it’s the start of other advanced offensive metrics which we’ll touch upon in later videos.
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