What this calculator does
WHIP is walks plus hits divided by innings pitched: how many baserunners a pitcher allows per inning. A pitcher with 45 walks and 150 hits over 180 innings has a WHIP of 1.08.
It is popular because it is simple and because it measures something a pitcher largely controls. Under 1.00 is elite, around 1.10 to 1.25 is good, and above 1.40 is struggling. What it does not do is distinguish a walk from a home run, since both count as one baserunner.
The formula
Walks and hits allowed are added and divided by innings pitched. Innings are entered as decimals, and the convention in baseball is thirds: 6.1 innings means six and one third, though this calculator takes the number as written, so entering 6.33 is more accurate than 6.1 if precision matters.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| WHIP | Walks plus hits per inning pitched. Lower is better. |
| Baserunner | Any batter reaching base by walk or hit. Errors and hit batsmen are not counted. |
| Under 1.00 | Elite territory, meaning fewer than one baserunner allowed per inning. |
| Innings pitched | Counted in thirds, since an inning is three outs. |
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Walks allowed | Walks allowed. |
| Hits allowed | Hits allowed. |
| Innings pitched (decimal, e.g. 6⅓ = 6.33) | Innings pitched. Enter thirds as decimals: 180.33 rather than 180.1 for 180 and one third. |
When to use it
Evaluating a pitcher season
WHIP is one of the standard summary statistics and appears alongside ERA in almost every pitching line.
Comparing two pitchers
WHIP captures traffic on the bases in a way ERA does not, since ERA depends partly on how those runners were stranded or driven in.
Fantasy baseball
WHIP is a standard scoring category precisely because it is stable and largely within the pitcher control.
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How does hits allowed change WHIP?
A fixed walk count and innings total against a range of hits allowed.
| Hits allowed | WHIP | Baserunners allowed (walks + hits) | Innings pitched |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 | 0.92 | 165 | 180.00 |
| 150 | 1.08 | 195 | 180.00 |
| 180 | 1.25 | 225 | 180.00 |
Questions
What is a good WHIP?
Under 1.00 is elite and rare over a full season. 1.10 to 1.25 is good, around 1.30 is league average, and above 1.40 suggests a pitcher in trouble. The bands shift a little with the run environment of the era.
Does WHIP include errors?
No. A batter reaching on an error is not counted, nor is a hit batsman, even though both put a runner on base. This is a known inconsistency: WHIP measures walks and hits specifically rather than baserunners generally.
How do I enter innings pitched?
As a decimal. Baseball notation writes 6.1 for six and one third innings, which is not a decimal at all. Enter 6.33 instead, since the calculator reads the number as written and 6.1 would be read as six and one tenth.
Is WHIP better than ERA?
Neither replaces the other. WHIP measures baserunners allowed, which is largely the pitcher doing. ERA measures runs allowed, which depends on sequencing, defence and bullpen support. Reading both together says considerably more than either alone.
For earned run average, see the ERA calculator. For batting rather than pitching, see the on-base percentage calculator.