What Is WHIP in Baseball?
WHIP — walks and hits per inning pitched — measures how much traffic a pitcher allows on the bases. It is one of the cleanest quick reads on command, and a staple of fantasy baseball.
What WHIP measures
WHIP counts how many hitters reach base via walk or hit for every inning a pitcher throws. Because runners on base are the raw material of run scoring, keeping WHIP low is a prerequisite for a low ERA. It rewards pitchers who throw strikes and miss barrels.
How to calculate WHIP by hand
Add walks and hits allowed, then divide by innings pitched. Innings use baseball notation, so 6.2 innings is 6⅔. A reliever who allows 20 walks and 58 hits over 68⅓ innings has a WHIP of (20 + 58) ÷ 68.33 = 1.14.
Why hit batters and errors are excluded
WHIP is defined narrowly around the two outcomes most within a pitcher's control: the walk and the hit. Hit-by-pitches are relatively rare and reaching on an error is a defensive failure, so both are left out. This keeps WHIP focused on command and contact management.
What is a good WHIP at each level?
- MLB: 1.00 or under is elite, ~1.30 is average, 1.50+ is poor.
- College: a WHIP under 1.20 is strong given the livelier bats.
- High school: use it to compare arms within a league rather than against pro marks.
Limitations
WHIP treats a walk and a single as equal, though a single often does more damage. It also does not account for the defense that turns some batted balls into outs. Still, as a fast, intuitive gauge of how many runners a pitcher puts on, it is hard to beat.