What Is a Good WHIP in Baseball?
League WHIP (walks + hits per inning) was 1.289 in 2025. Under 1.20 is good, under 0.99 is top-10% of qualified starters — a WHIP below 1.00 means fewer than one baserunner per inning, which is how aces look.
A good WHIP is under 1.20; the 2025 MLB average was 1.289 and ≤0.99 marked the top ~10% of qualified starters.
- MLB league WHIP (2025)1.289
- 2026 season to date1.309
- Top 10% of qualified starters≤ 0.99
- Bottom 10% (qualified)≥ 1.42
Source: Baseball-Reference league averages (2025 final; 2026 through early July); distribution cutoffs from FanGraphs qualified leaderboards.
WHIP scale (2025, qualified starters)
| WHIP | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Under 1.00 | Elite — top ~10%; fewer than a runner an inning |
| 1.00–1.19 | Very good |
| 1.20–1.28 | Better than the 1.289 league average |
| 1.29–1.41 | Below average |
| ≥ 1.42 | Bottom ~10% — constant traffic |
WHIP strips out sequencing luck that inflates or flatters ERA: it counts traffic allowed, not runs that happened to score. A pitcher with a 3.20 ERA and 1.40 WHIP is living dangerously; a 4.00 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP is usually about to get better.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good WHIP?
Under 1.20 is good against the 1.289 league average; under 0.99 is top-10%; under 1.00 is elite.
What was the MLB average WHIP in 2025?
1.289 (1.309 so far in 2026).
Is WHIP better than ERA?
For skill assessment, mostly yes — WHIP measures baserunners allowed and stabilizes faster; ERA depends on sequencing and defense. Scouts read them together.
What does WHIP stand for?
Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched: (BB + H) ÷ IP.
Sources & methodology
Sources: Baseball-Reference — 2025 MLB league averages · Baseball-Reference — 2026 season to date · FanGraphs 2025 qualified leaderboards.
League averages from Baseball-Reference; top/bottom-10% cutoffs read from the 2025 FanGraphs qualified leaderboards (approximate percentile anchors, labeled as such).