Sports & Gaming · Statistics · Descriptive Statistics
Baseball Stolen Base Percentage Calculator
Calculate a baseball player's stolen base percentage (success rate) from stolen bases and caught stealing attempts.
Calculator
Formula
SB = number of successful stolen bases; CS = number of times caught stealing. The denominator (SB + CS) is the total number of steal attempts. The result is expressed as a percentage.
Source: MLB Official Rules, Rule 9.07 (Scorer's Record of Stolen Bases and Caught Stealing); Baseball-Reference.com Glossary.
How it works
Stolen Base Percentage is calculated by dividing the number of successful stolen bases (SB) by the total number of steal attempts — which equals stolen bases plus times caught stealing (CS) — then multiplying by 100. The formula is: SB% = (SB ÷ (SB + CS)) × 100.
This metric was formalized in Major League Baseball scoring rules and is tracked by every professional league worldwide. It captures not just raw speed but also a runner's judgment about when to attempt a steal. A player who attempts many steals but is caught frequently may actually hurt their team's run-scoring chances despite high raw stolen base totals.
Sabermetricians estimate the break-even stolen base success rate to be approximately 70–75%, meaning a player needs to succeed on at least 3 out of 4 attempts to generate positive run expectancy. Elite base stealers historically maintain rates above 80%. This calculator also provides Net Stolen Bases (SB − CS) as a quick indicator of overall baserunning value.
Worked example
Example: Rickey Henderson (1982 season)
Rickey Henderson set the single-season stolen base record in 1982 with 130 stolen bases and was caught stealing 42 times.
Step 1 — Total attempts: 130 + 42 = 172 attempts
Step 2 — Stolen Base Percentage: 130 ÷ 172 × 100 = 75.6%
Step 3 — Net Stolen Bases: 130 − 42 = 88 net bases
Despite an astronomical raw SB total, Henderson's 75.6% success rate that year was right at the traditional break-even threshold, illustrating how aggressive base stealing can push a player's efficiency close to neutral territory even with record-setting volume.
Limitations & notes
Stolen Base Percentage is a rate statistic and does not account for the game situation, defensive context, or opportunity. A player with only 2 attempts (2 for 2, 100%) ranks statistically higher than a player with 50 attempts (45 for 50, 90%) despite the latter providing far more absolute value. The metric also does not capture pickoffs, which are recorded separately from caught stealing under MLB scoring rules prior to 2023 rule changes. Additionally, the traditional 75% break-even threshold is an approximation derived from run expectancy tables in typical scoring environments — actual break-even rates vary with run environment, inning, score differential, and the batting lineup following the runner. This calculator requires at least one steal attempt; entering zero for both inputs will return no result.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good stolen base percentage in baseball?
Most analysts consider 75% the minimum threshold for a stolen base attempt to have positive expected run value for the team. Elite base stealers typically maintain rates of 80% or higher. In MLB history, players with at least 400 career stolen base attempts and a success rate above 85% are exceptionally rare — Tony Womack and Tim Raines are among those who approached or exceeded that level over long careers.
Why does caught stealing hurt a team more than a stolen base helps?
When a runner is caught stealing, the team loses a baserunner AND records an out, consuming one of only 27 outs available per game. Run expectancy tables show that an out on the basepaths is worth roughly -0.4 to -0.6 runs in context, while a successful steal adds only about +0.17 to +0.25 runs in expected value. This asymmetry means teams need a high success rate — roughly 70–75% — just to break even, and aggressive base stealers with low success rates can meaningfully reduce their team's run-scoring probability.
Is stolen base percentage the same as stolen base success rate?
Yes, Stolen Base Percentage and Stolen Base Success Rate are the same statistic described by different names. Both are calculated as SB ÷ (SB + CS) × 100. Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs both use SB% as the standard abbreviation. Some older publications may display it as a decimal (e.g., 0.756) rather than a percentage (75.6%), but the underlying calculation is identical.
What is the difference between caught stealing and a pickoff?
Under MLB Official Scoring Rule 9.07, a caught stealing (CS) is charged when a runner attempts to steal and is put out, or when a runner is put out while attempting to advance on a pitch. A pickoff — when the pitcher throws to a base and retires a runner who was not attempting to steal — is scored separately as a pickoff (PK or PKO) and does not count against caught stealing totals. However, if a runner breaks for the next base during a pickoff throw and is retired, that is scored as a caught stealing. Rule interpretations have evolved slightly with the 2023 introduction of the pitch clock era.
Who holds the all-time career stolen base percentage record among qualified baserunners?
Among players with a statistically significant number of attempts (generally 200+), Carlos Beltran is often cited as one of the most efficient base stealers in modern MLB history with a career SB% around 86%. Tim Raines is frequently highlighted in the historical record with approximately 84.7% success on over 900 attempts across his career. Pure success rate leaders with very small attempt totals are less meaningful; qualifying thresholds matter significantly when evaluating career rankings.
Can stolen base percentage exceed 100%?
No. Because SB% = SB ÷ (SB + CS) × 100, the maximum possible value is 100% (achieved when CS = 0, meaning all attempts were successful). A player who has never been caught stealing in their career has a perfect 100% SB%, though this is trivially achievable with very few attempts. The minimum is 0% when a player has been caught every single time (SB = 0). This calculator returns no result (NaN) when both inputs are zero, as no attempts have been recorded.
Last updated: 2025-01-30 · Formula verified against primary sources.