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Livvy Dunne shows off pitch she learned from Paul Skenes
Livvy Dunne shows off pitch she learned from Paul Skenes
- Livvy Dunne shows off pitch she learned from Paul Skenes
Seeing as how she’s the girlfriend of superstar MLB and Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes, it’s no surprise that well-known social media influencer and ex-LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne has picked up a thing or two from him over the years.
Dunne, who has been in a relationship with Skenes for about three years now, was at the Fanatics Fest this week and had an opportunity to show what she has learned from the Pirates’ stud pitcher in that span.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAfter being handed a baseball, Dunne said she was going to throw a “splinker,” which is Skenes’ signature pitch.
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“This is so far away,” Dunne said of the distance to the plate.
“I’m gonna throw a splinker,” Dunne added, before throwing to the waiting catcher.
Dunne’s execution wasn’t far off, as the pitch definitely had downward movement before bouncing into the catcher’s glove.
Extra credit for Livvy’s form, including the grip on the ball, checking the runner at second base and throwing from the stretch.
Paul Skenes learned the splinker by mistake
You would think that Skenes has been throwing the splinker his entire career with how effective the pitch is, but that is not the case.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementInstead, Skenes said he learned the pitch by mistake.
“I started playing catch one day, and basically it accidentally came off my index finger [as opposed to the middle finger] and moved how it moves now,” he explained. “And I was basically like, ‘That was good, I’m gonna keep trying to do that.'”
Learning from each other
Dunne recently revealed on the MLB All-Star Game Red Carpet that she has learned quite a bit from Skenes during their relationship, and not just baseball-related things.
“He’s awesome. I mean, he’s amazing at what he does every single day, on the field and off the field. So, I’m just lucky to do it by his side and take notes for my own life, too, because honestly, he’s a great guy,” Dunne said.
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Skenes went on to admit that it isn’t a one-way street, either.
“I think we relate in that way, so it’s not easy but I think it’s been a few years now and we’ve learned how to do it and how to make each other better. I think our personalities just make each other better, too, so it just works,” Skenes said.
Dunne has been very supportive of Skenes’ baseball career, as she attends Skenes’ games and rides the ups and downs with her boyfriend.
The best example of that was the viral clip of Dunne dropping F-bombs when Skenes gave up a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this year.
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Dunne showed she knows ball, too, as she knew the batted ball was trouble the second the Blue Jays player made contact.
The former LSU gymnast has probably dropped a few extra F-bombs in 2026, as Skenes is in the midst of his worst season as a pro. The Pirates superstar is sporting an 8-8 record and a career-worst 3.57 ERA in 20 starts.