Baseball has long been known as America’s pastime, and there are countless reasons why it holds such a special place in the hearts of sports fans all over the world. One of the most popular metrics used to evaluate a player’s performance is On-base Plus Slugging (OPS). This statistic combines on-base percentage and slugging percentage to give an overall measure of a player’s offensive productivity. In the 2020 season, there were some standout performances that made it clear who the best OPS players in baseball were.
What is OPS?
OPS is a statistic that was created to measure a player’s offensive performance. It is calculated as the sum of a player’s on-base percentage and slugging percentage. On-base percentage is calculated by dividing a player’s total number of times on base (Hits + Walks + Hit by Pitch) by the total number of plate appearances (At-Bats + Walks + Hit by Pitch + Sacrifice Flies). Slugging percentage is calculated by taking a player’s total number of bases (Hits + Doubles + Triples + Home Runs) divided by the total number of at-bats.
The Best OPS Players of 2020
In the 2020 season, several players were able to outshine the competition and establish themselves as the best OPS players in baseball. The leader of the pack was Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts. Betts posted an OPS of 1.070, which was the highest in all of baseball. He also had a batting average of .292 and a slugging percentage of .562.
Betts was followed closely by Seattle Mariners infielder Kyle Seager. Seager posted an OPS of 1.068, which was second highest in baseball. Seager also had an impressive batting average of .321 and a slugging percentage of .577.
The third-highest OPS in 2020 belonged to Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout. Trout posted an OPS of 1.061 and also had a batting average of .281 and a slugging percentage of .578.
Other Notable Players
Other notable players who had impressive OPS performances in 2020 included Cincinnati Reds outfielder Nick Castellanos, Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, and Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Ketel Marte. Castellanos posted an OPS of 1.026, Correa had an OPS of 1.014, and Marte posted an OPS of 1.003.
Conclusion
The 2020 season was full of impressive offensive performances, but the clear leader of the pack was Mookie Betts. Betts posted an OPS of 1.070, which was the highest in baseball. He was followed by Kyle Seager and Mike Trout, who both had impressive seasons of their own. Castellanos, Correa, and Marte also had noteworthy OPS performances in 2020 and proved that they are capable of being elite hitters in the Major Leagues.