A pitcher throws 200 innings, allows 150 hits and 50 walks. Good season or bad?
Can't tell from those numbers alone. But if you calculate WHIP, you get 1.00 — which means this pitcher allowed exactly one baserunner per inning. That's elite.
WHIP cuts through the noise and answers one question: how good is this pitcher at keeping runners off base?
The WHIP Formula
WHIP = (Walks + Hits) ÷ Innings Pitched
Lower is better. A 1.00 WHIP means the pitcher allows 1 baserunner per inning on average.
That's it. Add up all the walks and hits a pitcher allowed, divide by innings pitched.
Step-by-Step Example
Pitcher's season stats:
- Innings Pitched: 180
- Hits Allowed: 160
- Walks: 40
Calculation:
WHIP = (160 + 40) ÷ 180
WHIP = 200 ÷ 180
WHIP = 1.11
Result: This pitcher allows 1.11 baserunners per inning. That's good — better than league average.
What's a Good WHIP?
MLB league average WHIP hovers around 1.30. Anything under that is above average.
| WHIP Range | Rating | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1.00 | 🏆 Elite | Cy Young caliber, historically great |
| 1.00-1.10 | ⭐ Excellent | All-Star level, top of rotation |
| 1.10-1.25 | ✅ Great | Solid starter, reliable |
| 1.25-1.35 | 👍 Above Average | Better than most pitchers |
| 1.35-1.50 | ➖ Average | Middle of the pack |
| Over 1.50 | ❌ Below Average | Struggling, needs improvement |
WHIP Records: The Best Ever
Single-Season Record
Pedro Martinez — 0.737 WHIP (2000)
In arguably the greatest pitching season ever, Pedro allowed only 128 hits and 32 walks in 217 innings. He faced 769 batters and only 160 reached base via walk or hit.
His 0.737 WHIP means he allowed fewer than 3 baserunners every 4 innings. Nobody's come close since.
Career WHIP Leaders (Minimum 1,000 IP)
| Rank | Pitcher | WHIP | Years Active |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Addie Joss | 0.968 | 1902-1910 |
| 2 | Jacob deGrom | 0.986 | 2014-present |
| 3 | Ed Walsh | 1.000 | 1904-1917 |
| 4 | Mariano Rivera | 1.000 | 1995-2013 |
| 5 | Clayton Kershaw | 1.002 | 2008-present |
| 6 | Pedro Martinez | 1.054 | 1992-2009 |
Addie Joss pitched from 1902-1910 and died at age 31 from meningitis. In just 9 seasons, he posted a 0.968 career WHIP that nobody's matched in 115 years.
DeGrom is the only active pitcher with a sub-1.00 career WHIP (0.986). Kershaw briefly dipped under 1.000 multiple times in his career but currently sits at 1.002.
Track Your Pitching Stats
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Use ERA Calculator →WHIP vs ERA: What's the Difference?
Both measure pitching effectiveness, but they tell different stories.
ERA (Earned Run Average): How many runs a pitcher allows per 9 innings. Focuses on outcomes — did runs score?
WHIP: How many baserunners a pitcher allows per inning. Focuses on process — did batters reach base?
Key difference: A pitcher can have a low ERA with a high WHIP if they get lucky stranding runners. A pitcher can have a high ERA with a low WHIP if they get unlucky with timing.
Over time, WHIP is more predictive of future ERA than past ERA is.
Example: WHIP Predicts Trouble
Pitcher A:
- ERA: 3.00
- WHIP: 1.50
- Allows lots of baserunners but strands them
Pitcher B:
- ERA: 3.00
- WHIP: 1.10
- Keeps runners off base consistently
Prediction: Pitcher B will probably maintain their 3.00 ERA. Pitcher A's ERA will likely rise — they're getting lucky with strand rate and it won't last.
Read more: ERA vs WHIP: What's the Difference?
Why WHIP Matters
1. More Predictive Than ERA
A pitcher's WHIP this season predicts next season's ERA better than their current ERA does. WHIP measures what the pitcher controls (allowing baserunners). ERA includes timing and luck.
2. Defense-Independent
Like FIP, WHIP strips out some defensive impact. A great defense can turn hits into outs, but walks and most hits are on the pitcher.
3. Simple and Clear
One number tells you: does this pitcher keep people off base? A 1.00 WHIP means one runner per inning. A 1.50 WHIP means 1.5 runners per inning. Easy to understand.
4. Fantasy Baseball Standard
WHIP is one of the five standard pitching categories in fantasy baseball (along with Wins, Saves, Strikeouts, and ERA). Lower WHIP wins your league.
What WHIP Doesn't Tell You
WHIP is useful, but it has blind spots:
1. Treats All Hits Equally
A home run and a single both count as 1 hit in WHIP. But a homer scores runs immediately while a single might not score at all.
A pitcher who gives up 10 solo homers and a pitcher who gives up 10 infield singles have the same WHIP. But one gave up 10 runs, the other maybe zero.
2. Ignores Hit-By-Pitch
The stat was invented in 1979 by Daniel Okrent, who excluded HBP because Sunday newspapers didn't include that data. So a pitcher who hits 15 batters gets no WHIP penalty.
3. Doesn't Account for Timing
A pitcher who allows 2 walks and 1 hit in three different innings has the same WHIP as one who loads the bases with 3 straight hits. But the second one is way more likely to give up runs.
4. Sample Size Issues
In small samples (under 50 innings), WHIP can be misleading. A reliever who pitches 20 innings and allows 15 hits and 5 walks has a 1.00 WHIP, but that's not enough data to say much.
WHIP by Level: What's Good?
WHIP expectations vary by level of play:
MLB: Under 1.30 is above average, under 1.10 is excellent
Minor Leagues (AAA): Under 1.35 is solid, under 1.20 is very good
College Baseball: Under 1.40 is decent, under 1.25 is strong
High School: Under 1.50 is good, under 1.30 is excellent
Youth Baseball (12U-14U): Under 2.00 is good, under 1.50 is great
Lower levels have higher WHIPs because hitters make more contact and pitchers have less control. A 1.50 WHIP in high school is good. In MLB it's below average.
How to Improve Your WHIP
Two ways to lower WHIP: allow fewer walks and allow fewer hits.
1. Cut Down Walks
Work on command. Throw strikes. A walk is a guaranteed baserunner with zero chance of an out.
Drill: 50 pitches, 70% effort, hit the zone 45+ times. Track your walk rate every outing.
2. Better Pitch Selection
Don't leave pitches over the plate. Work corners, change eye levels, mix speeds. Predictable pitchers get hit hard.
3. Develop a Third Pitch
Two-pitch pitchers get exposed second time through the order. A reliable third pitch keeps hitters guessing.
4. Strikeouts Help
Every strikeout is one fewer ball in play. High strikeout pitchers tend to have lower WHIPs because they don't give hitters a chance to hit.
Read more: How to Lower Your ERA
WHIP and Relief Pitchers
Relief pitchers generally have lower WHIPs than starters. Mariano Rivera's career 1.000 WHIP is incredible, but he pitched in relief his entire career.
Why relievers have better WHIP:
- They only face batters once (no lineup turnover)
- They can max out effort for 1 inning instead of pacing for 6-7
- They throw harder on average
- They often enter with outs already recorded
When comparing WHIP across roles, remember: a 1.00 WHIP for a starter (like Kershaw) is more impressive than 1.00 for a closer (like Rivera), even though both are elite.
Read more: Relief Pitcher ERA vs Starting Pitcher ERA
The Bottom Line
WHIP answers one question: how good is this pitcher at keeping runners off base?
A 1.00 WHIP is elite. 1.10-1.25 is great. 1.30 is league average. Over 1.50 is struggling.
Unlike ERA, which can be influenced by when runs score, WHIP directly measures what the pitcher controls — did the batter reach base via walk or hit?
It's not perfect. It treats home runs the same as singles and ignores hit batters. But it's simple, predictive, and one of the best quick-reference stats for evaluating pitchers.
Pedro's 0.737 WHIP in 2000 will probably never be beaten. Addie Joss's 0.968 career WHIP has stood for over 100 years. DeGrom might challenge it if he stays healthy.
For your own pitching: focus on strikes, limit walks, get ahead in counts. Lower WHIP follows.