Pirates' Paul Skenes Gets Extra Support From Livvy Dunne

Dunne regularly travels home-and-away for Skenes' starts, especially following the completion of her collegiate career.

She went on the west coast trip they took at the end of May, watching him dominate the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 28, with just one run allowed over seven innings, and then celebrating Skenes' birthday in San Diego on May 29.

Skenes and Dunne began dating back at LSU, and the two have been inseparable ever since. The duo also featured in a GQ magazine feature, with the couple wearing designer clothes and taking photos in a rare snowstorm in Baton Rouge.

Dunne was the most followed NCAA athlete on social media, including 5.3 million followers on Instagram and eight million followers on TikTok. She just finished her fifth season with LSU gymnastics, where they finished third at the National Championships.

She helped LSU win their first National Title in the 2023-24 season, as well as setting a career-high of 9.900 on floor twice. She also spent time o the U.S. National Team back in 2017. That marked her final season of competitive gymnastics, as she chose to retire from the sport following the conclusion of the season.

Skenes starred at LSU in 2023, after transferring from Air Force. He had a 13-2 record in 19 starts, 1.69 ERA in 122.2 innings, giving up just 23 earned runs and seven earned runs, while notching 209 strikeouts to just 20 walks, leading the program to a national title that season.

He would enter the 2023 MLB Draft, where the Pirates took him with the No. 1 overall pick. He also signed with the franchise on a $9.2 million signing bonus, the highest ever given to a player at the time.

Skenes has pitched sensationally since coming up to the MLB on May 11, 2024, serving as one of the best players in baseball.

He finished his rookie season with an 11-3 record over 23 starts, allowing just 29 earned runs over 133.0 innings pitched for a 1.96 ERA, 170 strikeouts to 32 walks, a .198 opposing batting average, a 0.95 WHIP and a 11.50 K/9.

Skenes started for the National League in the All-Star game that season, becoming the first rookie to do so since Hideo Nomo did so in 1995 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He went on to win NL Rookie of the Year, earning 23 of the 30 first-place votes and becoming the first Pirates player since outfielder Jason Bay did so 20 years earlier in 2004.

Skenes also earned All-MLB First Team honors and finished third for the NL Cy Young Award.