Pittsburgh Pirates Paul Skenes is off to a legendary start to his Major League Baseball career. The second-year pro won the National League Rookie of the Year award last season. However, the reaction from Skenes and his girlfriend, Livvy Dunne, turned heads. The All-Star starter broke the reaction down for Mookie Betts, saying that his partner helps him with his feelings.
Skenes and Dunne have been together since their days at LSU. Over the last few years, both have risen to become one of professional sports' premier celebrity couples. Now, each of them lead successful careers that have them both in the national spotlight, whether it be on the pitcher's mound or on the balance beam. Despite the success, Skenes has trouble showing his joy.
After dealing with trade rumors swirling around Pittsburgh, Skenes has been able to focus on his pitching. He is just a few starts away from winning the NL Cy Young Award in his second season in MLB. He appeared on Bett's podcast, On Base, to explain how Dunne helps him understand the significance of his achievements and help him celebrate.
“I joke with Liv because it’s like she is my emotion,” Skenes said. “Or she shows the emotion for me. I didn’t go into the year wanting to win, or it’s not a successful year if I win Rookie of the Year. Whether I won that or not it was a successful year. And so I’m sitting there and they call my name and it’s like, what does this change for me, it’s November at this point. I don’t know I probably think about it a little different. Maybe the next time I’ll show a little more emotion.”
Skenes might have a date with Shohei Ohtani standing between him and a Cy Young award. Regardless of how his season ends, the pitcher and Dunne will continue to support one another's accomplishment, even if one is better at it than the other.
