Pirates' Paul Skenes Shares Funny 'Frustrating' Livvy Dunne Story

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes is in a relationship with star gymnast Livvy Dunne and the two combine their worlds more often than not.
Skenes spoke to comedian Seth Myers on his primetime comedy show, Late Night with Seth Myers, promoting the video game, MLB The Show 25, which he is on the cover, along with two other players in Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz and Baltimore Orioles shortstop/third baseman Gunner Henderson.
He is currently dating star gymnast Olivia "Livvy" Dunne, who is a fifth-year senior at LSU. She spent 2017 on the USA national team and 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.
Skenes and Dunne both started dating each other back at LSU and the two have been irreparable ever since.
Dunne is also the most followed NCAA athlete on social media, including 5.3 million followers on Instagram and eight million followers on Tik Tok.
Meyers showed the audience and viewers at home a TikTok that Dunne shot of Skenes attempting to do gymnastics workout. This saw him on a trampoline, on the beam and doing a front flip into the ball pit
Skenes spoke on how far down the ball pit went and that it presented a real challenge for him getting out of it.
“The ball pit was genuine frustration," said Skenes. "I was genuinely pissed off. Those things are like ten feet deep. I’m tall, I’m not that tall. I’m just trying to throw the balls out, trying to get out. There’s nothing to grab onto."
"I was working up a sweat in the middle of November. It was pretty frustrating."
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 pitched, gave up just 23 earned runs and seven earned runs, while making 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.
Skenes dominated in the minor leagues and soon made it up to the majors on May 11 of the 2024 season.
He started 23 games, had a 1.96 ERA in 133.0 innings pitched, allowed just 29 earned runs, 94 hits, six home runs and 32 walks, while making 170 strikeouts and holding opposing hitting to a .198 batting average. He also had a 11.50 K/9 and a WHIP of 0.95.
He was also the first member of the Pirates to start for the National League in the All-Star Game since Jerry Reuss did it in 1975, 49 years ago. He is also just the fifth rookie to start an All-Star game, with Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers doing so in 1995, en route to winning NL Rookie of the Year.
Skenes also made the All-MLB First Team for his performance in 2024, won NL Rookie of the Year and was a finalist for the NL Cy Young Award.