Sep 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes (30) looks from the dugout against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pirates’ Paul Skenes Finally Shaves His Mustache

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Jan 2, 2026 7:00 AM ET

PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes heads into his third season with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2026 and decided that the New Year brings one major change to his look.

The 23-year old is one of the best pitchers in baseball and his 6-foot-6 stature domineers over any mound at the 30 MLB ballparks.

Livvy Dunne, Skenes' girlfriend, posted an Instagram story showing the couple celebrating the New Year together at an Asian restaurant.

Skenes showed off a brand new look, as he shaved his face, with his signature mustache and beard gone.

Recent History of Paul Skenes' Facial Hair

The Pirates took Skenes with the first overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of LSU and since then, he's had some sort of facial hair.

Skenes had the mustache from the time the Pirates drafted him through the entire 2024 season, when he won National League Rookie of the Year Award.

He later grew out his beard towards the end of 2024 and kept it throughout the 2025 campaign, when he won the NL Cy Young Award.

Skenes hasn't always had facial hair, last doing so in his junior season at LSU in 2023. He also was clean shaven for most of his time with Air Force in his first two seasons of college in 2021 and 2022.

He ended up with a mustache with LSU as they went on and won the College World Series. Skenes himself earned numerous honors, including the National Pitcher of the Year Award, the Dick Howser Trophy, honoring the best college baseball player, and the College World Series Most Outstanding Player.

Skenes kept that mustache with him in the minor leagues for the Pirates the rest of 2023 as well.

Will This New Look Affect Skenes' Play?

Superstitions about facial hair are nothing new, with different athletes in Pittsburgh sports doing so themselves.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger grew out a playoff beard in his second season and the team won Super Bowl XL, the fifth in franchise history.

Most of the Pittsburgh Penguins and even team owner Mario Lemieux grew out playoff beards in 2009, which saw them overcome the Detroit Red Wings for the Stanley Cup, the third in franchise history.

Shaving one's face is quite the opposite of that, but Skenes should still continue his dominance in 2026 and go after another Cy Young Award.

He is the only pitcher in his first 55 starts with a sub-2.00 ERA and he was the first qualified pitcher to post a sub-2.00 ERA in a season at 23 years or younger, since right-hander Dwight Gooden did so at age 20 with the New York Mets in 1985

The Pirates have added some solid pieces to their lineup for next season in a trade for Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe and signing free agent Ryan O'Hearn, as they try and support their young star and also ending a decade-long postseason absence.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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