Seasons 1903-2026: Balls in Play and nothing Plate Apperances: BB, SO. 2026 trending badly after 15 games. Monday, April 13, 2026
https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/majors/bat.shtml
Per Team Game
Through April 12, 2026 (about 15 games for each of the 30 teams) MLB has its lowest Batting Average of all those 124 seasons (1903-2026): .235.
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The numbers get a little weird around 1950, so this post goes back only to 1952.
The rate and percent of Bases on Ball (BB) remain about the same but the rrate and percent of Strike Outs (SO) goes up persistently, making the game increasingly boring.
| Year | PA | BB | SO | BB+SO/PA | BB/PA | SO/PA | SO/BB | Tms | Year |
| 2026 | 37.83 | 3.77 | 8.62 | 32.75% | 9.97% | 22.79% | 2.286 | 30 | 2026 |
| 2025 | 37.64 | 3.16 | 8.36 | 30.61% | 8.40% | 22.21% | 2.646 | 30 | 2025 |
| 2024 | 37.56 | 3.07 | 8.48 | 30.75% | 8.17% | 22.58% | 2.762 | 30 | 2024 |
| 2023 | 37.88 | 3.25 | 8.61 | 31.31% | 8.58% | 22.73% | 2.649 | 30 | 2023 |
| 2022 | 37.46 | 3.06 | 8.40 | 30.59% | 8.17% | 22.42% | 2.745 | 30 | 2022 |
| 2021 | 37.43 | 3.25 | 8.68 | 31.87% | 8.68% | 23.19% | 2.671 | 30 | 2021 |
| 2020 | 37.03 | 3.39 | 8.68 | 32.60% | 9.15% | 23.44% | 2.560 | 30 | 2020 |
| 2019 | 38.39 | 3.27 | 8.81 | 31.47% | 8.52% | 22.95% | 2.694 | 30 | 2019 |
| 2018 | 38.08 | 3.23 | 8.48 | 30.75% | 8.48% | 22.27% | 2.625 | 30 | 2018 |
| 2017 | 38.13 | 3.26 | 8.25 | 30.19% | 8.55% | 21.64% | 2.531 | 30 | 2017 |
| 2016 | 38.01 | 3.11 | 8.03 | 29.31% | 8.18% | 21.13% | 2.582 | 30 | 2016 |
| 2015 | 37.80 | 2.90 | 7.71 | 28.07% | 7.67% | 20.40% | 2.659 | 30 | 2015 |
| 2014 | 37.85 | 2.88 | 7.70 | 27.95% | 7.61% | 20.34% | 2.674 | 30 | 2014 |
| 2013 | 38.02 | 3.01 | 7.55 | 27.77% | 7.92% | 19.86% | 2.508 | 30 | 2013 |
| 2012 | 37.90 | 3.03 | 7.50 | 27.78% | 7.99% | 19.79% | 2.475 | 30 | 2012 |
| 2011 | 38.13 | 3.09 | 7.10 | 26.72% | 8.10% | 18.62% | 2.298 | 30 | 2011 |
| 2010 | 38.18 | 3.25 | 7.06 | 27.00% | 8.51% | 18.49% | 2.172 | 30 | 2010 |
| 2009 | 38.49 | 3.42 | 6.91 | 26.84% | 8.89% | 17.95% | 2.020 | 30 | 2009 |
| 2008 | 38.64 | 3.36 | 6.77 | 26.22% | 8.70% | 17.52% | 2.015 | 30 | 2008 |
| 2007 | 38.80 | 3.31 | 6.62 | 25.59% | 8.53% | 17.06% | 2.000 | 30 | 2007 |
| 2006 | 38.71 | 3.26 | 6.52 | 25.26% | 8.42% | 16.84% | 2.000 | 30 | 2006 |
| 2005 | 38.32 | 3.13 | 6.30 | 24.61% | 8.17% | 16.44% | 2.013 | 30 | 2005 |
| 2004 | 38.83 | 3.34 | 6.55 | 25.47% | 8.60% | 16.87% | 1.961 | 30 | 2004 |
| 2003 | 38.57 | 3.27 | 6.34 | 24.92% | 8.48% | 16.44% | 1.939 | 30 | 2003 |
| 2002 | 38.46 | 3.35 | 6.47 | 25.53% | 8.71% | 16.82% | 1.931 | 30 | 2002 |
| 2001 | 38.49 | 3.25 | 6.67 | 25.77% | 8.44% | 17.33% | 2.052 | 30 | 2001 |
| 2000 | 39.16 | 3.75 | 6.45 | 26.05% | 9.58% | 16.47% | 1.720 | 30 | 2000 |
| 1999 | 39.06 | 3.68 | 6.41 | 25.83% | 9.42% | 16.41% | 1.742 | 30 | 1999 |
| 1998 | 38.71 | 3.38 | 6.56 | 25.68% | 8.73% | 16.95% | 1.941 | 30 | 1998 |
| 1997 | 38.73 | 3.46 | 6.61 | 26.00% | 8.93% | 17.07% | 1.910 | 28 | 1997 |
| 1996 | 39.10 | 3.55 | 6.46 | 25.60% | 9.08% | 16.52% | 1.820 | 28 | 1996 |
| 1995 | 38.85 | 3.53 | 6.30 | 25.30% | 9.09% | 16.22% | 1.785 | 28 | 1995 |
| 1994 | 38.90 | 3.48 | 6.18 | 24.83% | 8.95% | 15.89% | 1.776 | 28 | 1994 |
| 1993 | 38.47 | 3.33 | 5.80 | 23.73% | 8.66% | 15.08% | 1.742 | 28 | 1993 |
| 1992 | 38.12 | 3.25 | 5.59 | 23.19% | 8.53% | 14.66% | 1.720 | 26 | 1992 |
| 1991 | 38.20 | 3.32 | 5.80 | 23.87% | 8.69% | 15.18% | 1.747 | 26 | 1991 |
| 1990 | 38.08 | 3.29 | 5.67 | 23.53% | 8.64% | 14.89% | 1.723 | 26 | 1990 |
| 1989 | 37.99 | 3.21 | 5.61 | 23.22% | 8.45% | 14.77% | 1.748 | 26 | 1989 |
| 1988 | 37.95 | 3.09 | 5.56 | 22.79% | 8.14% | 14.65% | 1.799 | 26 | 1988 |
| 1987 | 38.46 | 3.42 | 5.96 | 24.39% | 8.89% | 15.50% | 1.743 | 26 | 1987 |
| 1986 | 38.24 | 3.38 | 5.87 | 24.19% | 8.84% | 15.35% | 1.737 | 26 | 1986 |
| 1985 | 38.12 | 3.29 | 5.34 | 22.64% | 8.63% | 14.01% | 1.623 | 26 | 1985 |
| 1984 | 38.14 | 3.16 | 5.34 | 22.29% | 8.29% | 14.00% | 1.690 | 26 | 1984 |
| 1983 | 38.08 | 3.20 | 5.15 | 21.93% | 8.40% | 13.52% | 1.609 | 26 | 1983 |
| 1982 | 38.23 | 3.16 | 5.04 | 21.45% | 8.27% | 13.18% | 1.595 | 26 | 1982 |
| 1981 | 37.98 | 3.18 | 4.75 | 20.88% | 8.37% | 12.51% | 1.494 | 26 | 1981 |
| 1980 | 38.29 | 3.13 | 4.80 | 20.71% | 8.17% | 12.54% | 1.534 | 26 | 1980 |
| 1979 | 38.22 | 3.24 | 4.77 | 20.96% | 8.48% | 12.48% | 1.472 | 26 | 1979 |
| 1978 | 37.87 | 3.23 | 4.77 | 21.12% | 8.53% | 12.60% | 1.477 | 26 | 1978 |
| 1977 | 38.41 | 3.27 | 5.16 | 21.95% | 8.51% | 13.43% | 1.578 | 26 | 1977 |
| 1976 | 38.06 | 3.20 | 4.83 | 21.10% | 8.41% | 12.69% | 1.509 | 24 | 1976 |
| 1975 | 38.42 | 3.46 | 4.98 | 21.97% | 9.01% | 12.96% | 1.439 | 24 | 1975 |
| 1974 | 38.27 | 3.33 | 5.01 | 21.79% | 8.70% | 13.09% | 1.505 | 24 | 1974 |
| 1973 | 38.29 | 3.37 | 5.24 | 22.49% | 8.80% | 13.69% | 1.555 | 24 | 1973 |
| 1972 | 37.65 | 3.15 | 5.57 | 23.16% | 8.37% | 14.79% | 1.768 | 24 | 1972 |
| 1971 | 37.85 | 3.23 | 5.41 | 22.83% | 8.53% | 14.29% | 1.675 | 24 | 1971 |
| 1970 | 38.41 | 3.53 | 5.75 | 24.16% | 9.19% | 14.97% | 1.629 | 24 | 1970 |
| 1969 | 38.08 | 3.45 | 5.77 | 24.21% | 9.06% | 15.15% | 1.672 | 24 | 1969 |
| 1968 | 37.18 | 2.82 | 5.89 | 23.43% | 7.58% | 15.84% | 2.089 | 20 | 1968 |
| 1967 | 37.61 | 2.98 | 5.99 | 23.85% | 7.92% | 15.93% | 2.010 | 20 | 1967 |
| 1966 | 37.68 | 2.89 | 5.82 | 23.12% | 7.67% | 15.45% | 2.014 | 20 | 1966 |
| 1965 | 37.82 | 3.09 | 5.94 | 23.88% | 8.17% | 15.71% | 1.922 | 20 | 1965 |
| 1964 | 37.83 | 2.96 | 5.91 | 23.45% | 7.82% | 15.62% | 1.997 | 20 | 1964 |
| 1963 | 37.79 | 2.96 | 5.80 | 23.18% | 7.83% | 15.35% | 1.959 | 20 | 1963 |
| 1962 | 38.43 | 3.37 | 5.42 | 22.87% | 8.77% | 14.10% | 1.608 | 20 | 1962 |
| 1961 | 38.32 | 3.46 | 5.23 | 22.68% | 9.03% | 13.65% | 1.512 | 18 | 1961 |
| 1960 | 38.36 | 3.39 | 5.18 | 22.34% | 8.84% | 13.50% | 1.528 | 16 | 1960 |
| 1959 | 38.27 | 3.31 | 5.09 | 21.95% | 8.65% | 13.30% | 1.538 | 16 | 1959 |
| 1958 | 38.13 | 3.29 | 4.95 | 21.61% | 8.63% | 12.98% | 1.505 | 16 | 1958 |
| 1957 | 38.63 | 3.31 | 4.84 | 21.10% | 8.57% | 12.53% | 1.462 | 16 | 1957 |
| 1956 | 38.45 | 3.63 | 4.64 | 21.51% | 9.44% | 12.07% | 1.278 | 16 | 1956 |
| 1955 | 38.51 | 3.66 | 4.38 | 20.88% | 9.50% | 11.37% | 1.197 | 16 | 1955 |
| 1954 | 38.67 | 3.65 | 4.13 | 20.12% | 9.44% | 10.68% | 1.132 | 16 | 1954 |
| 1953 | 38.49 | 3.50 | 4.12 | 19.80% | 9.09% | 10.70% | 1.177 | 16 | 1953 |
| 1952 | 38.28 | 3.54 | 4.19 | 20.19% | 9.25% | 10.95% | 1.184 | 16 | 1952 |
| Year | PA | BB | SO | BB+SO/PA | BB/PA | SO/PA | SO/BB | Tms | Year |
| max | 39.16 | 3.77 | 8.81 | 32.75% | 9.97% | 23.44% | 2.762 | max | |
| min | 37.03 | 2.82 | 4.12 | 19.80% | 7.58% | 10.68% | 1.132 | min | |
| ave | 38.21 | 3.28 | 6.18 | 24.77% | 8.59% | 16.18% | 1.894 | ave | |
| max | 2000 | 2026 | 2019 | 2026 | 2026 | 2020 | 2024 | ||
| min | 2020 | 1968 | 1953 | 1953 | 1968 | 1954 | 1954 | ||
| Year | PA | BB | SO | BB+SO/PA | BB/PA | SO/PA | SO/BB | Tms | Year |
| 1951 | 38.76 | 3.73 | 3.77 | 19.35% | 9.62% | 9.73% | 1.011 | 1951 | |
| 1950 | 38.97 | 4.02 | 3.86 | 20.22% | 10.32% | 9.91% | .960 | 1950 | |
| 1949 | 38.81 | 4.04 | 3.61 | 19.71% | 10.41% | 9.30% | .894 | 1949 |
SO/BB:
