The 2025 MLB Home Run Derby was full of big and iconic moments, but none caught the eye on social media like a real-time show of shock from former LSU star gymnast and online star Olivia “Livvy” Dunne.
She was there rooting for Pittsburgh Pirates player Oneil Cruz, who amazed everyone with a huge first show, and her shocked face soon was a top thing people talked about that night.
As Cruz hit a series of super balls one after another into the seats, with one going 513 feet to tie Aaron Judge’s non-Coors Field record, cameras got Dunne’s big-eyed face and her now famous exclamation: “Holy crap”.
This clip, posted on her Instagram Stories and shown by many news spots, became a key picture from the game, showing how the Home Run Derby mixes sports fun and internet culture.
Cruz shines like a star
Cruz’s first numbers were huge. He got 21 home runs, each going 447 feet on average, some even past 470 feet. The hardest hit flew from the bat at 118 mph, making him one of the top big hitters in the game and stirring talks about his future play in the MLB season’s second half.
Even top players were surprised. Ronald Acua Jr. was seen on TV in shock as Cruz’s big hits kept coming. Tampa Bay Rays new guy Junior Caminero matched Cruz’s 21, adding even more heat to what was the most loaded first round in many years.
Livvy Dunne was the face of the fan experience
Olivia Dunne, who dates Pirates new pitcher Paul Skenes, has been seen a lot at MLB games this year. From her sports past and big TikTok crowd, Dunnes pull has now moved into the baseball field as she backs Skenes and, by doing so, teammates like Cruz.
Clips of Dunne, Skenes, and Cruz heading to Atlanta for the Derby showed them having fun at the All-Star events, hinting at a shift where players and their mates join the wide stories that fans really like to watch.
Dunne’s real, not-planned show of joy became a sign of the fun around the Derby, something normal coverage might not have shown.
MLB’s modern boost
This moment also showed MLB’s shift to a more media-smart and socially mixed time. While the game sticks to its roots, the league’s young stars, and some known faces like Dunne, are changing how baseball is seen, mostly by the young and foreign crowd.
For Cruz, his show was a strong note on his growing fame and talent. For Dunne, it was more proof of her ability to naturally pull eyes in areas far from the gymnastics floor. Together, their big moment added vibe and a cool feeling to an event built on big shows.
As the All-Star break goes on, all eyes stay not just on the numbers, but also on the sides, where moves like Dunne’s show us that baseball’s top times now come with a modern spin.
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