Calculate a pitcher's Earned Run Average (ERA) with precision.
Baseball ERA Calculator
Enter the earned runs allowed and the total innings pitched to determine a pitcher's Earned Run Average (ERA). For partial innings, use decimals like `0.1` for 1/3 of an inning (1 out) and `0.2` for 2/3 of an inning (2 outs). For example, 65 and 2/3 innings would be entered as `65.2`.
How the ERA Calculator Works
The Earned Run Average (ERA) is a crucial statistic in baseball that measures a pitcher's effectiveness. It represents the average number of earned runs a pitcher allows per nine innings pitched.
The Official ERA Formula:
This calculator simplifies the process for you. Here's a quick guide:
- Earned Runs: These are runs scored against a pitcher that are not due to fielding errors or passed balls. Only runs directly attributed to the pitcher's performance count.
- Innings Pitched: This is the total number of innings a pitcher has completed.
- Each inning has 3 outs.
- You can enter partial innings using decimals: `0.1` for 1/3 of an inning (1 out) and `0.2` for 2/3 of an inning (2 outs). For example, 65 and 2/3 innings should be entered as `65.2`.
- Outs Pitched (optional): If you prefer, you can enter the total number of outs pitched for the partial inning (1 or 2) instead of `0.1` or `0.2`. The calculator will automatically convert this to the correct decimal for calculation.
- Innings in a game: This is typically 9 innings for a standard game, but you can adjust it if calculating for a different game length.
- Calculation: Once you enter your values, the calculator applies the formula to provide an accurate ERA.
Understanding ERA helps you evaluate a pitcher's ability to prevent opponents from scoring. A lower ERA indicates better pitching performance.
ERA Benchmarks & Quality Tiers
What constitutes a "good" ERA often depends on the pitcher's role and the era of baseball. Here's a general guide to ERA quality tiers:
| ERA Value | Quality Tier | Description |
|---|---|---|
| <1.00 | Legendary | Historically rare, truly exceptional performance (e.g., Dutch Leonard – 0.96) |
| 1.00 – 2.50 | Elite | Dominant, Cy Young caliber pitchers (e.g., Bob Gibson, Greg Maddux, Jacob deGrom) |
| 2.50 – 3.50 | Very Good | Top-tier starting pitchers, above-average performance |
| 3.50 – 4.50 | Average to Solid | Middle to back-end starting pitchers, league average performance |
| 4.50 – 6.00 | Below Average | Struggling pitchers, often indicative of issues |
| >7.00 | Poor / Needs Improvement | Very poor performance, far below league norms |
Relievers often have lower ERAs (often <3.00) due to fewer innings pitched, but their ERA can fluctuate more. A 3.5 ERA is generally considered **above-average** for a starting pitcher. A 1.00 ERA is **excellent**, while a 7.00 ERA is considered **very poor**.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
ERA (Earned Run Average) shows how many earned runs a pitcher allows per nine innings. The official formula is: ERA = (Earned Runs $\div$ Innings Pitched) $\times$ 9. For example, if a pitcher gives up 15 earned runs over 65⅔ innings (65.2 in decimal), the ERA would be: 15 $\div$ 65.666… $\times$ 9 $\approx$ 2.06 ERA.
Yes. ERA reflects a pitcher's earned runs normalized to a nine-inning game. It divides earned runs by innings pitched, then multiplies by 9.
Generally, yes—especially for a starting pitcher. A 3.5 ERA is considered **above-average**, with elite starters usually closer to 2.50–3.00. Relievers often have lower ERAs (often <3.00) but their ERA can fluctuate more due to fewer innings.
No. A 7.00 ERA is very poor across all pitcher types. It means allowing 7 earned runs every 9 innings, which is far below league norms.
Yes—**excellent**. Historically, only top-tier pitchers have ERAs close to 1.00. For example, Bob Gibson had a 1.12 ERA in 1968, and Dutch Leonard had a 0.96 ERA in 1914 (minimum 200 IP).
For a career (minimum 1,500 IP), Ed Walsh holds the record with a 1.82 ERA. For a single season in the modern era (minimum 200 IP), Dutch Leonard (1914) holds the record with 0.96 ERA.
Yes – nearly perfect. An ERA of 0.00 means zero earned runs over any span. For example, Jack Theis had a career 0.00 ERA (over a single 2-inning outing). However, over full seasons, a 0.00 ERA is practically impossible due to the nature of the game.