Livvy Dunne Says Watching Paul Skenes Pitch Is Harder Than LSU Gymnastics at 23

Q: Is Paul Skenes' 'disappointing' season a real slump or the result of impossibly high expectations?

Paul Skenes’ “disappointing” 2026 is much more about impossible expectations than a true slump. The traditional numbers look ordinary only by his standards. Through July 14, he is 8-8 with a 3.57 ERA, a clear step back from the sub-2.00 ERA dominance that won him the 2025 NL Cy Young Award. That drop is real, and there have been rough patches, including some recent starts in which he allowed more damage than fans had come to expect. But the deeper indicators still describe an elite pitcher, not one in collapse. He has 130 strikeouts against 24 walks in 108.1 innings, a 1.02 WHIP, a .216 batting average allowed, and strong underlying metrics such as a 2.74 expected ERA and a top-tier FIP. Other reports place him among the league leaders in strikeout rate, WHIP and expected run prevention. That is not slump-level performance; it is frontline-ace production. Context matters too. Pittsburgh’s defense has been a drag, and some of Skenes’ poorer results with runners on base appear tied to batted-ball luck and team support rather than a major erosion in stuff. His fastball velocity is down from earlier peaks, but evidence suggests the pitch remains highly effective. The fairest reading is that Skenes has slipped from historic dominance to merely excellent. Because his first two seasons were so extraordinary, anything short of overwhelming brilliance now looks disappointing. In reality, he is still one of baseball’s best starters.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 15

Livvy Dunne, 23, said watching boyfriend Paul Skenes pitch is harder than competing for LSU because she feels every emotion during his starts and has no control over the outcome.
MLB Network comments from Dunne followed another viral moment earlier this season, when cameras caught her mouthing an expletive after Skenes surrendered a home run to Toronto's George Springer.
Dunne said she also got a firsthand look at Skenes' stuff before spring training, freezing in the batter's box after putting off his offseason request to stand in against him.
Skenes, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, said he even 'buzzed her tower'; he enters with an 8-8 record and 3.57 ERA for a 50-47 Pirates club in the NL wild-card race.