Baseball Stats
What Is a Good WHIP
What Is a Good WHIP
in Baseball?
Under 1.00 is elite. Under 1.25 is good. Here's the full breakdown — plus WHIP by level, a built-in calculator, and the all-time career leaderboard.
WHIP is one of the cleanest stats in baseball. One number tells you how many baserunners a pitcher allows per inning — no park adjustments, no era context needed, just how often batters are getting on base against this pitcher. Here's what the numbers mean and why the stat matters.
What is a good WHIP? — The quick answer
Under 1.00
⭐ Elite
Among the best in baseball. A WHIP below 1.00 means fewer than one baserunner per inning. Pedro Martínez posted a legendary 0.7373 WHIP in 2000.
1.00–1.25
✅ Above Average to Good
A very solid pitcher. This is where reliable starters and high-leverage relievers live. Consistently in this range means you're keeping runners off base effectively.
1.25–1.40
⚠️ League Average
The MLB league average WHIP typically sits between 1.30 and 1.40. Serviceable but not dominant. Rotation filler territory for most teams.
Above 1.50
❌ Below Average
A WHIP of 1.50 or higher means one and a half baserunners per inning on average. That's too many traffic jams to survive at the MLB level for long.
What does WHIP stand for?
WHIP stands for Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched. It was introduced by Daniel Okrent — better known as the inventor of fantasy baseball — and has become one of the standard stats used to evaluate pitching performance at every level of the game.
WHIP = (Walks + Hits) ÷ Innings Pitched
Example: A pitcher allows 4 walks and 7 hits over 6 innings.
(4 + 7) ÷ 6 = 1.83 WHIP
(4 + 7) ÷ 6 = 1.83 WHIP
0.7373
Pedro Martínez's single-season WHIP in 2000 — the best in the modern era
0.9678
Addie Joss's career WHIP — the best in MLB history across 2,327 innings
~1.30
Approximate MLB league average WHIP in recent seasons
Is a lower or higher WHIP better?
Lower is always better. WHIP measures how many baserunners a pitcher allows per inning — the fewer baserunners, the better. A WHIP of 0.90 is better than 1.20, which is better than 1.50. Unlike ERA where context can matter, the direction of WHIP is unambiguous. Fewer runners on base means fewer scoring opportunities for the opponent.
The only nuance is that a very low WHIP on a small sample — say, five innings — is less meaningful than the same WHIP across 100 innings. Context and sample size matter for evaluating whether a WHIP is sustainable, but the direction is always the same: lower is better.
WHIP by level — what's good at each level?
WHIP benchmarks shift significantly depending on the level of play. A WHIP that would be average in MLB might be elite in high school, and vice versa. Here is what the numbers mean at each level.
| Level | Elite WHIP | Good WHIP | Average WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | Under 1.00 | 1.00–1.25 | 1.25–1.40 |
| College Baseball (NCAA) | Under 1.10 | 1.10–1.40 | 1.40–1.60 |
| High School Baseball | Under 1.00 | 1.00–1.30 | 1.30–1.70 |
| Travel Ball / USSSA | Under 1.10 | 1.10–1.40 | 1.40–1.80 |
| Little League (ages 9–12) | Under 1.20 | 1.20–1.60 | 1.60–2.20 |
| Softball (fast pitch) | Under 0.90 | 0.90–1.20 | 1.20–1.50 |
What is a good WHIP for a high school pitcher?
A WHIP under 1.00 is elite at the high school level — meaning fewer than one baserunner per inning. Between 1.00 and 1.30 is strong and competitive for varsity pitchers. Above 1.70 signals control or velocity issues that will become harder to manage as competition improves at the college or travel ball level. High school pitching is heavily influenced by defense and run environment, so WHIP should be read alongside ERA and strikeout rate for the full picture.
What is a good WHIP for a relief pitcher?
Relief pitchers are held to a higher WHIP standard than starters because they are typically facing fewer batters per outing and often working in high-leverage situations. Elite MLB closers regularly post WHIPs under 1.00. A WHIP between 1.00 and 1.20 is good for a high-leverage reliever. Above 1.30 for a closer is a warning sign — allowing 1.3 baserunners per inning in save situations creates consistent danger. Setup relievers typically sit between 1.10 and 1.30.
WHIP calculator
Enter a pitcher's stats to calculate their WHIP instantly.
⚾ WHIP Calculator
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WHIP
Why WHIP matters
ERA tells you how many runs a pitcher gave up. WHIP tells you how many traffic jams they created. A pitcher can have a decent ERA but a high WHIP — meaning they're constantly loading the bases and escaping by the skin of their teeth. That's not sustainable. WHIP gives you an earlier warning signal that things are about to go sideways.
It's also why Jacob deGrom's Mets years were so fascinating to watch. His ERA was historically low but his win totals were average — because wins depend on run support, defense, and the bullpen, none of which WHIP or ERA account for. A pitcher can be dominant and still lose. WHIP shows you the pitcher's side of the story clearly.
💡 WHIP in fantasy baseball
WHIP is one of the core categories in most rotisserie fantasy baseball leagues. It's a reliable week-to-week indicator of a pitcher's form — if a pitcher's WHIP is climbing mid-season, it's often a signal to consider moving them before the ERA catches up. Low-WHIP pitchers are among the most consistently valuable fantasy assets.
What WHIP doesn't tell you
WHIP is clean but not complete. A few things it misses:
Hit batters
A pitcher who hits batters puts runners on base just like a walk — but hit batters don't count against WHIP. A pitcher with control issues who hits a lot of batters will look better in WHIP than they actually are.
All hits treated equally
A leadoff single and a grand slam homer both count as one hit in the WHIP calculation. A pitcher who gives up a lot of home runs might have a low WHIP but a high ERA — FIP captures this better.
Fielder's choice
Runners who reach base via fielder's choice don't count against WHIP. The baserunner is real but the stat ignores them.
Defensive errors
Errors create baserunners that don't show in WHIP. A pitcher working behind a bad defense looks better in WHIP than their actual situation warrants.
WHIP vs. ERA — which is better?
Neither — they answer different questions. ERA tells you how many runs scored. WHIP tells you how many runners got on. Used together they give you a much clearer picture than either one alone.
Consider two pitchers with identical 2.50 ERAs. One has a 1.20 WHIP, the other has a 1.00 WHIP. The second pitcher is clearly the stronger performer — they're keeping more runners off base and their ERA is likely to stay low because they're not relying on luck or strand rate to escape jams. The first pitcher with the 1.20 WHIP is probably benefiting from strong defense or favorable sequencing that may not continue.
⚠️ The ERA / WHIP disconnect
A pitcher with a high WHIP and a low ERA is likely pitching above their head — they're stranding a lot of runners. Expect regression. A pitcher with a low WHIP and a high ERA is probably dealing with bad luck or poor defense — expect improvement. The gap between the two stats tells you a story ERA alone can't.
All-time WHIP leaders
The all-time career WHIP leaderboard is dominated by dead ball era pitchers who worked in a fundamentally different run environment — but the modern names on the list are genuinely remarkable. Jacob deGrom at #2 all-time is one of the most underrated statistical achievements in baseball history.
| # | Pitcher | Career WHIP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Addie Joss | 0.9678 |
| 2 | Jacob deGrom | 0.9931 |
| 3 | Ed Walsh | 0.9996 |
| 4 | Mariano Rivera | 1.0003 |
| 5 | Clayton Kershaw | 1.0017 |
| 6 | John Montgomery Ward | 1.0438 |
| 7 | Chris Sale | 1.0463 |
| 8 | Pedro Martínez | 1.0544 |
| 9 | Christy Mathewson | 1.0581 |
| 10 | Trevor Hoffman | 1.0584 |
| 11 | Walter Johnson | 1.0612 |
| 12 | Mordecai Brown | 1.0658 |
| 13 | Charlie Sweeney | 1.0673 |
| 14 | Max Scherzer | 1.0772 |
| 15 | Reb Russell | 1.0800 |
| 16 | Jim Devlin | 1.0868 |
| 17 | Smoky Joe Wood | 1.0869 |
| 18 | Jack Pfiester | 1.0887 |
| 19 | George Bradley | 1.0901 |
| 20 | Tommy Bond | 1.0908 |
| 21 | Babe Adams | 1.0920 |
| 22 | Stephen Strasburg | 1.0959 |
| 23 | Gerrit Cole | 1.0976 |
| 24 | Juan Marichal | 1.1012 |
| 25 | Satchel Paige | 1.1012 |
| 26 | Dick Hall | 1.1019 |
| 27 | Rube Waddell | 1.1019 |
| 28 | Larry Corcoran | 1.1048 |
| 29 | Deacon Phillippe | 1.1051 |
| 30 | Sandy Koufax | 1.1061 |
Frequently asked questions
What is a good WHIP in baseball?
A WHIP under 1.00 is elite. Between 1.00 and 1.25 is above average to good. The MLB league average is around 1.30 to 1.40. A WHIP above 1.50 is below average and unsustainable at the MLB level.
Is a lower or higher WHIP better in baseball?
Lower is always better. WHIP measures how many baserunners a pitcher allows per inning. The fewer baserunners, the better the pitcher is performing. A WHIP of 0.90 is superior to 1.20, which is superior to 1.50.
What is a good WHIP for a high school pitcher?
A WHIP under 1.00 is elite at the high school level. Between 1.00 and 1.30 is strong and competitive for varsity play. Above 1.70 suggests control or velocity concerns. High school WHIP is best evaluated alongside strikeout rate and ERA since run environments and defensive quality vary widely at that level.
What is a good WHIP for a relief pitcher?
Relief pitchers are held to a higher standard than starters. Elite closers regularly post WHIPs under 1.00. Between 1.00 and 1.20 is solid for a high-leverage reliever. Above 1.30 for a closer is a warning sign — that rate of baserunners in save situations creates consistent danger. Setup relievers typically range from 1.10 to 1.30.
What does WHIP stand for in baseball?
WHIP stands for Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched. It measures how many baserunners a pitcher allows per inning by combining walks and hits and dividing by innings pitched.
How is WHIP calculated?
WHIP = (Walks + Hits) ÷ Innings Pitched. For example, if a pitcher allows 4 walks and 7 hits over 6 innings, their WHIP is (4 + 7) ÷ 6 = 1.83.
Do hit batters count against WHIP?
No. Hit batters (HBP) do not count against a pitcher's WHIP. WHIP only counts walks and hits divided by innings pitched. A pitcher who hits a lot of batters will have a better-looking WHIP than their actual baserunner rate warrants — this is one of WHIP's known limitations as a stat.
What is an elite WHIP in MLB?
A WHIP of 1.00 or below is considered elite in MLB. Only the best pitchers in baseball sustain a WHIP below 1.00 over a full season. Pedro Martínez posted the best single-season WHIP in the modern era at 0.7373 in 2000.
Who has the best career WHIP in MLB history?
Addie Joss holds the all-time career WHIP record at 0.9678 across 2,327 innings. Among modern pitchers, Jacob deGrom ranks second all-time at 0.9931, one of the most remarkable statistical achievements in baseball history.
Does a good WHIP mean more wins?
Not always. Pitcher wins depend on run support, defense, and bullpen performance — none of which a pitcher controls. A pitcher can have an elite WHIP and still lose games if their team doesn't score. Jacob deGrom is the classic example — historically dominant WHIP and ERA, but modest win totals due to poor run support.
WHIP is simple, honest, and useful. Under 1.00 is elite. Under 1.25 is good. Above 1.50 is a problem. Lower is always better — a lower WHIP means fewer baserunners, fewer scoring opportunities, and a more sustainable pitcher. It doesn't tell the whole story — hit batters, defensive errors, and the types of hits allowed all fall outside its frame — but as a quick gut check on a pitcher's effectiveness, it's one of the best single numbers in baseball.