Livvy Dunne cheers on fellow Sports Illustrated models' first pitch before boyfriend Paul Skenes pitches
Paul Skenes, a promising young pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, took the mound against the New York Mets with his girlfriend, Livvy Dunne, in attendance. Dunne, a former gymnast and current Sports Illustrated model, watched Skenes' first start since the firing of the Pirates' manager, Derek Shelton, due to the team's poor performance. Despite not matching his previous season's sharpness, Skenes maintains a respectable 2.77 ERA. Dunne showed support by wearing a Mets jersey, even as her boyfriend pitched against them, while also bringing fellow models to throw the first pitch. The Mets, tied for the second-best record, highlight Skenes' challenging matchup, emphasizing the significance of the game in the context of recent team changes.
Context:
Paul Skenes, a promising young pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, took the mound against the New York Mets with his girlfriend, Livvy Dunne, in attendance. Dunne, a former gymnast and current Sports Illustrated model, watched Skenes' first start since the firing of the Pirates' manager, Derek Shelton, due to the team's poor performance. Despite not matching his previous season's sharpness, Skenes maintains a respectable 2.77 ERA. Dunne showed support by wearing a Mets jersey, even as her boyfriend pitched against them, while also bringing fellow models to throw the first pitch. The Mets, tied for the second-best record, highlight Skenes' challenging matchup, emphasizing the significance of the game in the context of recent team changes.
Dive Deeper:
Paul Skenes, who began his sophomore season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, pitched against the first-place New York Mets at Citi Field, attended by his girlfriend Livvy Dunne, a former gymnast and Sports Illustrated model.
Dunne, who grew up near Citi Field, was able to support Skenes in person due to the conclusion of her gymnastics career, marking an opportunity to witness his professional baseball journey.
Skenes has not been as dominant as in his rookie year, where he finished third in the National League Cy Young vote and was named NL Rookie of the Year with a 1.96 ERA, though his current 2.77 ERA remains strong.
Livvy Dunne brought fellow Sports Illustrated models Camille Kostek, Ellie Thumann, and Xandra Pohl to the game, where they each threw the ceremonial first pitch, adding a touch of glamour to the event.
Skenes' start coincided with managerial changes in the Pirates' organization, as Derek Shelton was fired following a disappointing 12-26 start, a decision Skenes was not surprised by, though he emphasized the need for players to improve their performance.
Despite the managerial shift, Skenes maintains that the responsibility lies with the players to address the team's performance issues, suggesting that changes at the managerial level alone are insufficient.
The New York Mets, tied with the Detroit Tigers for the second-best record in the league, provided a challenging opponent for Skenes, illustrating the competitive environment and high stakes of the matchup.