Overview
OBP is calculated as (Hits + Walks + HBP) / (At-Bats + Walks + HBP + Sacrifice Flies). Unlike batting average, it includes walks, giving credit to batters with good plate discipline. In NPB, .400 or above is considered excellent, with the single-season record (since 1985, qualified batters) of .487 set by Hiromitsu Ochiai (Lotte) in 1986 (as of the end of the 2025 season). Hiromitsu Ochiai posted an extraordinary career mark of .422. Sadaharu Oh maintained elite OBP throughout his career thanks to a record 2,390 career walks. Sabermetrics values OBP over batting average due to its stronger correlation with run scoring. Placing high-OBP hitters in the first and second lineup spots is believed to improve scoring efficiency, and this approach is also seen in NPB lineup construction.