Baseball Reference Glossary

Slugging Percentage (SLG)

What is Slugging Percentage?

Slugging percentage (aka SLG, and also called Slugging Average) is the number of total bases a player hits each at bat. It only includes hits (not walks and hit-by-pitches) and assigns extra value to extra-base hits. This makes it a good measure of a player’s power.

How is SLG used?

Unlike batting average, SLG differentiates between kinds of hits. It values doubles more than singles; triples more than doubles; and home runs more than triples. Since extra-base hits are generally better than singles, it’s useful to have a stat that reflects that.

Since the league average in SLG is usually around .400, a good slugging percentage is above .400. The best hitters will have at least a .500 SLG.

Slugging Percentage Formula

The slugging percentage formula is:

SLG = (Singles + (2 × Doubles) + (3 × Triples) + (4 × Home Runs)) ÷ At Bats

    SLG Examples

    Using Slugging Percentage Formula #1

    Let’s look a a real-life example to learn how to use the first slugging percentage formula. During the 2024 season, Aaron Judge recorded 180 hits, 36 doubles, 1 triple, and 58 home runs in 559 at bats. First, we need to find how many singles Judge hit.

    1. Subtract doubles, triples, and home runs from total hits. 180-(36+1+58) = 85.

    Judge hit 85 singles. Now, let’s plug that into the slugging percentage formula.

    1. Multiply Judge’s extra-base hits by their respective values. 2*36 = 72. 3*1 = 3. 4*58 = 232.
    2. Add up the total bases from Judge’s hits. 85+72+3+232 = 392.
    3. Divide Judge’s total bases by his at bats. 392/559 = .701.

    Judge had a .701 SLG in 2024.

    Slugging Percentage Calculator

    Interesting SLG Stats

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

    Filed under Statistics