What is an RBI in Baseball?

Many different statistics are recorded in baseball to measure a player's performance and contributions to their team. One of the most commonly asked about, though, is the RBI or "runs batted in." 

An RBI is the number of runs a player has scored by hitting a batted ball in a way that allows a runner on base to advance to home plate and score a run. An RBI can be earned by hitting a single, double, triple, or home run, as well as by being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded or by reaching base on an error or fielder's choice with runners on base. RBIs are typically used to measure a player's offensive production and contributions to their team's scoring.

Below is a list of the most common statistics

Batting average

This is the number of hits a player gets divided by the number of times they have batted, expressed as a percentage.

On-base percentage

This is the percentage of times a player gets on base, either by hitting a batted ball or by being awarded first base on a walk, hit by pitch, or error.

Slugging percentage

This is the total number of bases a player has earned divided by the number of times they have batted, expressed as a percentage. It is a measure of a player's power-hitting ability.

Runs scored

This is the number of times a player has crossed home plate as a result of their own actions or the actions of their teammates.

Home runs

This is the number of times a player hits a batted ball over the outfield fence for a score of four bases.

Stolen bases

This is the number of times a player successfully advances to the next base while the ball is in play, without the help of a batted ball.

Earned run average (ERA)

This is a statistic used to measure a pitcher's effectiveness. It is calculated by dividing the number of earned runs that a pitcher allows by the number of innings they have pitched and expressing the result as a decimal.

These are just a few examples of the many statistics that are recorded in baseball. Other statistics include hits, doubles, triples, walks, strikeouts, and more.

Fun Fact

The record for the most runs batted in (RBIs) in a single Major League Baseball (MLB) game is 12, which two players have achieved.

Jim Bottomley of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1924 and Mark Whiten of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1993.

Jim Bottomley set the record on September 16, 1924, in a game against the Brooklyn Robins (now known as the Los Angeles Dodgers). He went 6-for-6 at the plate, with four home runs and a double, and had 12 RBIs in the game.

Mark Whiten matched Bottomley's record on September 7, 1993, in a game against the Cincinnati Reds. He went 4-for-5 at the plate, with four home runs and a double, and had 12 RBIs in the game.

It is worth noting that these records were both set in the modern era of Major League Baseball, which began in 1903. Prior to this time, the rules and conditions of the game were significantly different, and it is possible that players in earlier eras may have achieved similar or even higher RBI totals in single games.