Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes was recently observed on a beach in Key Biscayne, Florida, with his girlfriend, social media personality Livvy Dunne. The outing occurred ahead of the Pirates' series against the Miami Marlins.
The appearance comes amid scrutiny of Skenes's performance on the mound. On Tuesday, the 24-year-old pitcher was removed from a game against the Marlins after five innings, throwing 65 pitches. He allowed two runs, striking out four batters, but also gave up a solo home run and an RBI single. Skenes's fastball velocity during the outing did not exceed 96.5 mph, a notable decrease from his typical performance, including 68 instances of exceeding 99 mph in his Cy Young-winning season last year.
Questions regarding Skenes's performance have led to speculation, with some observers suggesting potential weight gain as a contributing factor. MLB reporter John Perrotto noted that some individuals have commented on Skenes appearing heavier and less athletic this season, with a theory that extra weight might be slowing his delivery and reducing fastball velocity. MLB veteran Curt Schilling also suggested that Skenes's arm might be overworked, leading to a decline in velocity, referencing his own prior observations about Skenes's mechanics and maximum effort delivery.
Pirates manager Don Kelly stated that the decision to pull Skenes from the game was not due to injury concerns. He indicated that players, in general, are not at 100% capacity in August and that the move was made to give the team the best chance to win. Skenes himself commented that the manager's explanation made sense and that he wished he could have continued pitching.
Skenes and Dunne, who began dating during their time at LSU, have been navigating their respective demanding schedules. Dunne, who is also an upcoming actress set to appear in a 'Baywatch' series, has frequently traveled to watch Skenes pitch. She recently joined him on the red carpet in Philadelphia prior to the 2026 All-Star Game. "Honestly, I don't think we have any rules," Dunne said in February about balancing their schedules. "I just think being super present with one another while you're together, while you have that time together, is super important." She added that they both make efforts to attend each other's events and that she tries to attend every one of his starts.