How to Read a Baseball Box Score: Every Stat Explained
AB, RBI, IP, ER. A box score tells the whole story of a game if you know the code. Here is how to read one.
A box score is baseball's shorthand. In a few lines, it shows who hit, who pitched and how the game was won. Once you learn the abbreviations, you can read a whole game in under a minute.
The Line Score
At the top, the line score shows runs by inning, plus totals:
- R: runs
- H: hits
- E: errors
A quick glance tells you when the scoring happened and how clean each team played.
Batting Stats
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| AB | At bats |
| R | Runs scored |
| H | Hits |
| RBI | Runs batted in |
| BB | Walks (base on balls) |
| SO or K | Strikeouts |
| LOB | Runners left on base |
| AVG | Batting average for the season |
A line like 4 AB, 1 R, 2 H, 3 RBI means the hitter went 2 for 4, scored once and drove in three runs. Note that walks, hit by pitches and sacrifice flies do not count as at bats.
Pitching Stats
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| IP | Innings pitched |
| H | Hits allowed |
| R | Runs allowed |
| ER | Earned runs allowed |
| BB | Walks |
| SO | Strikeouts |
| HR | Home runs allowed |
| ERA | Earned run average for the season |
Innings Notation
Innings pitched use thirds. 6.1 IP means six and one third innings, and 6.2 means six and two thirds.
Earned vs. Unearned Runs
A run is unearned if it would not have scored without an error or passed ball. Unearned runs do not count toward ERA. The same goes for the automatic runner in extra innings.
The Key Formulas
- Batting average = hits divided by at bats
- ERA = (earned runs x 9) divided by innings pitched
- WHIP = (walks + hits) divided by innings pitched
A WHIP near 1.00 is excellent, and an ERA under 3.00 is elite in most seasons.
Decisions
Next to pitchers you will often see W (win), L (loss), S (save) or H (hold), along with their season records.
Now you are ready for October. See how the bracket works in our MLB postseason format guide.
Background from Wikipedia
Box score (baseball)
A box score is a chart used in baseball to present data about player achievement in a particular game. An abbreviated version of the box score, duplicated from the field scoreboard, is the line score. The Baseball Hall of Fame credits Henry Chadwick with the invention of the box score in 1858.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Frequently Asked Questions
How is ERA calculated?
Earned run average is earned runs multiplied by 9, divided by innings pitched. A pitcher who allows 2 earned runs in 6 innings has a 3.00 ERA for that game.
What does 6.1 innings pitched mean?
It means six and one third innings. Each out is one third of an inning, so .1 is one out and .2 is two outs.
What is WHIP in baseball?
WHIP stands for walks plus hits per inning pitched. Add a pitcher's walks and hits allowed, then divide by innings pitched.
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