Seasons 1903-2026: Balls in Play and nothing Plate Apperances: BB, SO. 2026 trending badly after 15 games.

Very different 100 years ago.

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. The most recent BA close to that is .237 in 1968 when the American League (AL) had only one .300 hitter:

Batting Average

1.Yastrzemski • BOS.301

2.Cater • OAK.290

3.Oliva • MIN.289

4.Horton • DET.285

5.Uhlaender • MIN.283

6.Davalillo • 2TM.277

7.Buford • BAL.282**

8.Campaneris • OAK.276

9.Harrelson • BOS.275

10.Howard • WSA.274

In 2025 the National League had only one:

Batting Average

1.Turner • PHI.304

2.Hoerner • CHC.297

3.Freeman • LAD.295

4.Arraez • SDP.292

5.Perdomo • ARI.290

6.Burleson • STL.290

7.Frelick • MIL.288

8.Turang • MIL.288

9.Donovan • STL.287

10.Bohm • PHI.287

max	.292	1930
min	.235	2026
ave	.260

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BIP: number of Balls In Play: AB-SO-HR+SF.

2026: 23.92

max	32.10	1925
min	23.13	2020
ave	28.46

Year	BIP
2026	23.92
2025	24.43
2024	24.35
2023	24.26
2022	24.41
2021	23.67
2020	23.13
2019	24.34
2018	24.65
2017	24.80
2016	25.15
2015	25.60
2014	25.78
2013	25.90
2012	25.73
2011	26.33
2010	26.28
2009	26.46
2008	26.84
2007	27.17
2006	27.11
2005	27.15
2004	27.07
2003	27.17
2002	26.91
2001	26.72
2000	27.13

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	PA	BB	SO	BB+SO/PA
max	39.42	4.04	8.81	32.75%	2026
min	36.62	2.24	1.90	12.74%	1924
ave	38.16	3.20	4.95	21.36%

BB max 1949, min 1904

SO max 2019, min 1925

Year	PA	BB	SO	BB+SO/PA
2026	37.83	3.77	8.62	32.75%
2025	37.64	3.16	8.36	30.61%
2024	37.56	3.07	8.48	30.75%
2023	37.88	3.25	8.61	31.31%
2022	37.46	3.06	8.40	30.59%
2021	37.43	3.25	8.68	31.87%
2020	37.03	3.39	8.68	32.60%
2019	38.39	3.27	8.81	31.47%
2018	38.08	3.23	8.48	30.75%
2017	38.13	3.26	8.25	30.19%
2016	38.01	3.11	8.03	29.31%
2015	37.80	2.90	7.71	28.07%
2014	37.85	2.88	7.70	27.95%
2013	38.02	3.01	7.55	27.77%
2012	37.90	3.03	7.50	27.78%
2011	38.13	3.09	7.10	26.72%
2010	38.18	3.25	7.06	27.00%
2009	38.49	3.42	6.91	26.84%
2008	38.64	3.36	6.77	26.22%
2007	38.80	3.31	6.62	25.59%
2006	38.71	3.26	6.52	25.26%
2005	38.32	3.13	6.30	24.61%
2004	38.83	3.34	6.55	25.47%
2003	38.57	3.27	6.34	24.92%
2002	38.46	3.35	6.47	25.53%
2001	38.49	3.25	6.67	25.77%
2000	39.16	3.75	6.45	26.05%

Year

PA

BB

SO

BB+SO/PA

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Year	Tms	#Bat	BatAge	R/G	G	PA	AB	R	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB	GDP	BIP
2026	30	432	28.2	4.33	466	37.83	33.25	4.33	7.81	5.18	1.56	0.11	0.96	4.11	0.73	0.20	3.77	8.62	.235	.318	.375	.693	12.47	0.67	23.92
2025	30	763	27.9	4.45	4860	37.64	33.68	4.45	8.26	5.38	1.59	0.13	1.16	4.27	0.71	0.20	3.16	8.36	.245	.315	.404	.719	13.60	0.64	24.43
2024	30	741	27.9	4.39	4858	37.56	33.69	4.39	8.20	5.34	1.60	0.14	1.12	4.19	0.74	0.20	3.07	8.48	.243	.312	.399	.711	13.45	0.66	24.35
2023	30	765	28.0	4.62	4860	37.88	33.83	4.62	8.40	5.35	1.69	0.15	1.21	4.43	0.72	0.18	3.25	8.61	.248	.320	.414	.734	14.01	0.71	24.26
2022	30	790	28.2	4.28	4860	37.46	33.63	4.28	8.16	5.33	1.63	0.13	1.07	4.09	0.51	0.17	3.06	8.40	.243	.312	.395	.706	13.28	0.70	24.41
2021	30	1373	28.4	4.53	4858	37.43	33.33	4.53	8.13	5.15	1.62	0.14	1.22	4.32	0.46	0.15	3.25	8.68	.244	.317	.411	.728	13.69	0.69	23.67

1929	29	786	28.4	5.33	3391	38.50	34.26	5.33	9.92	7.16	1.75	0.47	0.54	4.90	0.64	0.30	3.24	2.06	.289	.354	.416	.769	14.24		31.66
1928	29	783	28.1	4.84	3235	38.35	34.18	4.84	9.61	7.05	1.65	0.46	0.45	4.42	0.59	0.30	2.97	2.19	.281	.342	.395	.738	13.52		31.54
1927	31	821	28.3	4.84	3552	37.99	33.88	4.84	9.56	7.10	1.59	0.47	0.40	4.41	0.63	0.33	3.01	1.94	.282	.344	.392	.736	13.29		31.54
Year	Tms	#Bat	BatAge	R/G	G	PA	AB	R	H	1B	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB	GDP	BIP
1926	32	838	28.2	4.83	3419	38.08	33.71	4.83	9.43	6.96	1.61	0.47	0.39	4.37	0.68	0.33	3.15	2.03	.280	.346	.390	.736	13.15		31.29
1925	32	848	28.0	5.24	3502	38.52	34.50	5.24	9.94	7.30	1.66	0.48	0.50	4.76	0.68	0.31	3.13	1.90	.288	.350	.407	.757	14.05		32.10
1924	33	867	27.8	4.91	3426	38.31	34.31	4.91	9.71	7.30	1.57	0.48	0.36	4.38	0.69	0.36	2.94	1.94	.283	.343	.388	.732	13.31		32.01

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