Overview
wOBA (Weighted On-Base Average) assigns run-value weights to each batting outcome: walks, hit-by-pitches, singles, doubles, triples, and home runs. Unlike OBP, which treats all on-base events equally, wOBA values home runs higher than walks, reflecting actual run contribution. Scaled to OBP range (approximately .300 average) for intuitive interpretation, wOBA correlates more strongly with run scoring than OPS, which simply adds OBP and SLG despite their different scales. NPB analytics departments increasingly adopt wOBA as a foundational batter evaluation metric.