View source for Walks plus hits per inning pitched

{{Short description|Baseball statistic measuring the baserunners a pitcher has allowed}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{sabermetric|formula=<math>WHIP=\frac{BB+H}{IP}</math>}}
In [[baseball statistics]], '''walks plus hits per inning pitched''' ('''WHIP''') is a [[Sabermetrics|sabermetric]] measurement of the number of [[Baserunning#Becoming a runner|baserunners]] a [[pitcher]] has allowed per [[Innings pitched|inning pitched]]. WHIP is calculated by adding the number of [[Base on balls|walks]] and [[Hit (baseball)|hits]] allowed and dividing this sum by the number of innings pitched.<ref name=MLB>[http://m.mlb.com/glossary/standard-stats/walks-and-hits-per-inning-pitched MLB Glossary – Walks and hits per inning pitched (WHIP)]. ''MLB.com''. Retrieved on September 13, 2016.</ref>
WHIP reflects a pitcher's propensity for allowing [[Batting (baseball)|batter]]s to reach base, therefore a lower WHIP indicates better performance.
While [[earned run average]] (ERA) measures the [[run (baseball)|runs]] a pitcher gives up, WHIP more directly measures a pitcher's effectiveness against batters.<ref name=MLB/> Like ERA, WHIP accounts for pitcher performance regardless of [[error (baseball)|errors]] and [[unearned run]]s.<ref group=note>[[On-base plus slugging]], or OPS, is a somewhat similar measure for hitters in that it's attempting to be a measure of overall effectiveness.</ref>
==History==
The stat was invented in 1979 by writer [[Daniel Okrent]],<ref name=MLB/> who called the metric "innings pitched ratio" at the time. Okrent excluded [[Hit by pitch|hit batsmen]] from the numerator of baserunners allowed since Sunday newspapers did not include hit batsmen in their [[Agate (typography)|agate]] [[box score]]s.<ref name=NYT>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/30/sports/baseball/mariano-rivera-a-singular-pitcher.html?pagewanted=all |title=Mariano Rivera: A Singular Pitcher |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |first=Joshua |last=Prager |date=June 30, 2013 |access-date=July 15, 2013 |page=SP1 |edition=New York}}</ref>
WHIP is one of the few sabermetric statistics to enter mainstream baseball usage.<ref name=NYT/> In addition to its use in live games, the WHIP is one of the most commonly used statistics in [[fantasy baseball]], and is standard in fantasy leagues that employ [[Fantasy baseball#Game play|4×4, 5×5, and 6×6 formats]].
==Leaders==
WHIP near 1.000 or lower over the course of a [[Major League Baseball schedule|season]] will often rank among the league leaders in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB).
The lowest single-season WHIP in MLB history through 2024 is held by [[George Walker (1930s pitcher)|George Walker]] of the 1940 [[Kansas City Monarchs]], with a WHIP of 0.7347 which broke the previous record of 0.7692 of [[Guy Hecker]] of the 1882 [[Louisville Eclipse]].<ref name="autogenerated1">[https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/whip_season.shtml Single-Season Leaders &amp Records for Walks & Hits per IP | Baseball-Reference.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The second-lowest single-season WHIP is held by [[Pedro Martínez]] of the 2000 [[Boston Red Sox]] with a WHIP of 0.7373; third-lowest single-season WHIP is held by [[Kenta Maeda]] of the 2020 [[Minnesota Twins]], with a WHIP of 0.7500; the fourth-lowest single-season WHIP is held by the previously mentioned [[Guy Hecker]]; the fifth-lowest single-season WHIP is held by [[Walter Johnson]] of the 1913 [[Washington Senators (1901–1960)|Washington Senators]], with a WHIP of 0.7803.<ref name=autogenerated1 />
[[Cleveland Guardians|Cleveland Bronchos/Naps]] (currently the Guardians) right-handed pitcher [[Addie Joss]] holds the MLB record for the lowest career WHIP as of 2024, with a 0.9678 WHIP in 2,327 innings.<ref name=MLB/> Active pitcher [[Jacob deGrom]] of the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] currently holds a career 0.9941 WHIP in 1367 innings and holds second. [[Chicago White Sox]] [[spitball]]er [[Ed Walsh]] is third, with a 0.9996 WHIP in 2,964{{frac|1|3}} innings, the lowest career WHIP for a qualified pitcher with 10 or more seasons pitched.<ref name=autogenerated2>[https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/whip_career.shtml Career Leaders &amp Records for Walks & Hits per IP | Baseball-Reference.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Reliever [[Mariano Rivera]] ranks fourth among qualified pitchers with a career WHIP of 1.0003 in 1,283{{frac|2|3}} innings.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] left-handed pitcher [[Clayton Kershaw]] ranks fifth with a WHIP of 1.0096 in 2,742{{frac|2|3}} innings.<ref name=autogenerated2 />
==See also==
*[[List of Major League Baseball career WHIP leaders]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}
==External links==
*[https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/whip_season.shtml Baseball's single-season WHIP leaders]
*[https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/whip_career.shtml Baseball's all-time WHIP leaders]
{{Baseball statistics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walks Plus Hits Per Inning Pitched}}
[[Category:Pitching statistics]]