Baseball Glossary › Total Bases
Total Bases (TB)
Total bases (TB) is the number of bases a batter gains through his hits. A single is worth one total base, a double two, a triple three and a home run four. Only hits count: walks, stolen bases and advancing on other plays add nothing. Total bases divided by at-bats gives slugging percentage.
Formula
Worked example (illustrative numbers): a hitter has 120 singles, 35 doubles, 3 triples and 20 home runs.
TB = 120 + (2 x 35) + (3 x 3) + (4 x 20)
TB = 120 + 70 + 9 + 80 = 279
Athletics example: Jimmie Foxx
Jimmie Foxx, the Philadelphia Athletics slugger, collected 2,646 career hits: 1,529 singles, 458 doubles, 125 triples and 534 home runs. See the full career line on the Jimmie Foxx player page.
TB = 1,529 + (2 x 458) + (3 x 125) + (4 x 534) = 4,956
Career MLB totals from our player database (MLB Stats API).
What to Know
Total bases is the raw material for slugging percentage, which is simply TB divided by at-bats. Where slugging is a rate, total bases is a running count, so it rewards both power and playing time.
Total bases vs hits: hits treat a single and a home run the same, while total bases gives the home run four times the credit. Every hit beyond a single is an extra-base hit, and those are what push a hitter's total bases well above his hit total.
MLB.com is clear that a player can only add total bases through a hit. A stolen base moves a runner up, but it does not add to his total bases.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are total bases in baseball?
Total bases are the bases a batter earns through his hits. A single counts one, a double two, a triple three and a home run four. They are added up across a game, season or career.
How do you calculate total bases?
Multiply doubles by 2, triples by 3 and home runs by 4, then add those to the number of singles. For example, 120 singles, 35 doubles, 3 triples and 20 home runs equal 279 total bases.
Do walks count as total bases?
No. Only hits add to total bases. A walk puts the batter on first base, but it is not a hit and adds nothing to his total bases or his slugging percentage.
Do stolen bases count toward total bases?
No. MLB.com notes that advancing on the basepaths, even with a steal, has no effect on a player's total bases. Only the bases reached on the batter's own hit count.
How are total bases used to find slugging percentage?
Slugging percentage is total bases divided by at-bats. A hitter with 279 total bases in 550 at-bats has a slugging percentage of .507, meaning he averages about half a base per at-bat.
How many total bases is a home run?
A home run is worth four total bases, because the batter circles all four bases. A grand slam is still four total bases for the batter, even though it drives in four runs.
Related Terms
Sources
- MLB.com Glossary: Total Bases (TB)
- MLB.com Glossary: Slugging Percentage (SLG)
- Official Baseball Rules 2026 (MLB)
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