Last updated: March 2, 2026 by Maria Gonzalez

Earned Run Average (ERA) Explained

Formula

ERA measures how many earned runs a pitcher allows per nine innings, making it the standard metric for evaluating pitching performance. Lower ERA values indicate better pitching.

An ERA below 3.00 is considered excellent in modern baseball, while the league average typically falls between 3.80 and 4.50.

Common use cases:

  • Pitcher performance evaluation
  • Comparing pitchers across teams
  • Fantasy baseball scoring

Frequently Asked Questions

MG

Maria Gonzalez

Registered Dietitian, RD, MPH

Maria is a Registered Dietitian with a Master's in Public Health. She focuses on evidence-based nutrition assessment tools including BMI, calorie calculations, and body composition analysis.

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