OPS, or on-base plus slugging, is a statistic used to measure a player’s overall offensive value. It is calculated by adding a player’s on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The higher the OPS, the better a player’s offensive production.
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the highest single season OPS belongs to Barry Bonds, who posted a 1.422 OPS in 2004. Bonds’ OPS that season was the highest in MLB history and still stands today as the highest ever recorded.
Barry Bonds’ 2004 Season
Barry Bonds had one of the greatest seasons in MLB history in 2004. He set the single-season home run record with 73, breaking the record of Mark McGwire’s 70 he set in 1998. He also set the single-season walks record with 232, breaking the previous record of 177 walks set by Babe Ruth in 1923.
Bonds also posted an impressive .609 on-base percentage, which was the highest in the majors that season. His slugging percentage was also impressive, as he slugged .812 for the season. When you add those two numbers together, you get an OPS of 1.422, which is the highest in MLB history.
Other Players with Impressive Single-Season OPS
Barry Bonds’ 2004 season is the gold standard for OPS, but there have been several other players who have posted impressive numbers over the years. Ted Williams posted a 1.287 OPS in 1941, while Babe Ruth posted a 1.269 in 1923.
In recent years, several players have come close to Bonds’ record. In 2001, Luis Gonzalez posted an OPS of 1.417, while Barry Bonds posted a 1.381 OPS in 2002.
Factors That Contribute to High OPS
There are several factors that can contribute to a player’s high OPS. The most important factor is a player’s ability to get on base. Players who have a high on-base percentage (OBP) are more likely to post high OPS numbers. The OBP includes hits, walks, and hit-by-pitches, so players who draw a lot of walks are especially likely to have high OPS numbers.
Another factor that contributes to a high OPS is the ability to hit for power. Players who can hit for power, by either hitting home runs or extra-base hits, will have higher slugging percentages and, in turn, higher OPS numbers.
Finally, players who can hit for average are also likely to post high OPS numbers. Players with high batting averages will also have higher on-base percentages, which will lead to higher OPS numbers.
Conclusion
The highest OPS in a single season belongs to Barry Bonds, who posted a 1.422 OPS in 2004. It is a record that still stands today, and is unlikely to be beaten anytime soon. While other players have come close to Bonds’ record, no one has been able to surpass it. The key factors that contribute to a high OPS are a high on-base percentage, the ability to hit for power, and the ability to hit for average.