Baseball Reference Glossary

Runs Batted In (RBI)

What is an RBI in baseball?

Runs batted in (commonly referred to as RBI) are given to the batter when runners score due to any hit, fielder’s choice, out, walk or HBP. Each runner who scores in those scenarios counts as 1 RBI for the batter. A batter can also earn an RBI by batting himself in on a home run.

What doesn’t count as an RBI?

Runs that score as the result of double plays (or the rare bases loaded triple play) or errors do not give RBI. Conversely, no RBI is granted on a wild pitch, passed ball, balk or steal of home.

The Runs Batted In controversy

The official statisticians of Major League Baseball only recognize RBI totals from 1920 onward. This may cause confusion, because it cuts off an important chunk of Babe Ruth‘s RBI and leaves out Cap Anson altogether. So in recent years, when Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols approached 2000 RBI, there were a number of misleading articles about them “catching” Ruth, or their places on the all-time leaders list.

However, most baseball historians recognize a more comprehensive list that estimates runs batted in for years prior to 1920. Baseball Reference’s list of career leaders, linked at the bottom of this page, is the most reliable one.

How are Runs Batted In used?

RBIs are one of the most commonly tracked offensive statistics in baseball. They tell us how often a batter’s actions result in runs being scored.

However, determining what is an average RBI (or above-average RBI) in baseball is difficult. A player’s batting position and power, and his teammates’ ability to get on base, can all affect runs batted in.

Some of the best hitters can record more than 140 RBI in a season. Anything above 100 is generally considered a good season total RBI.

Runs Batted In Examples

  • A team has runners on second and third base. The batter hits a double, and both runners score. The batter earns 2 runs batted in, because his hit resulted in two runners scoring.
  • A team has no runners on base, but the batter hits a home run. The batter still earns 1 RBI, because he batted himself in.
  • A team has the bases loaded. The batter is hit by a pitch, causing the runner on third to score. The batter earns 1 RBI even though he didn’t get a hit, because the HBP caused a runner to score
  • A team has a runner on third. The batter reaches base on an error, and the runner on third advances on the error to score. The batter does not earn an RBI, because the runner scored on an error – not any of his actions.

Interesting RBI Stats

You can see the single-season leaders in RBI, or the career leaders in RBI on Baseball Reference.

Filed under Statistics