Paul Skenes endured one of his toughest outings of the year against the Chicago Cubs, while his partner, gymnast and influencer Olivia Dunne, drew attention from the stands in Daisy Dukes and custom Skenes-inspired boots.
The Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher endured his shortest start of the season as the 23-year-old right-hander lasted just 3.2 innings, conceding seven hits and three runs before being hooked.
A leadoff home run from Michael Busch immediately placed the Pirates on the back foot, and the Cubs maintained control in a 4-1 victory as fans were left wondering about the sudden downturn of form.
Whilst off the field, Dunne dominated headlines with her striking game-day attire as the 22-year-old LSU alum appeared in cut-off Daisy Dukes paired with custom white boots emblazoned with Skenes’ name and number.
The look came just days after she wore a gold minidress to LSU‘s football clash against Florida and attended New York Fashion Week as she becomes a fixture at major sporting events.
Her fashion choices frequently go viral, and Tuesday’s outfit was no exception. Some fans speculated online whether Dunne‘s presence could have distracted Skenes. However, given his dominant season, the performance is more accurately attributed to an uncharacteristic off day against a disciplined Cubs lineup.
Did Paul Skenes just play his last game at the PNC Park?
Despite the setback, the National League Rookie of the Year remains one of baseball’s most dominant pitchers in 2025, compiling a 2.03 ERA across 31 starts, collecting 209 strikeouts against just 132 hits and 45 runs allowed.
Manager Derek Shelton acknowledged before the game that the team is “stretching guys out” to manage workloads in the final weeks of the season, with 10 games remaining and two off-days.
Skenes may make only one more start, depending on the Pirates’ six-man rotation strategy, and Tuesday may even be his last ever appearance at the PNC Park.
As one of the premier pitchers in baseball, he is one of the main targets for a trade considering the Pirates will not be contenders in the short term, with the likes of the New York Yankees interested.
If that was his final game at the PNC in a Pirates uniform, he got quite the send off. Fans honored him with a standing ovation while “Take Me Home, Country Roads” rang through the stadium.
At the same time, a highlight reel package of his season played on the scoreboard, capped by the pitcher’s signature on the camera lens highlighting how he’s made an impression on the crowd.
“Pretty cool,” Skenes said. “They’ve been here all year, supported us through it.
“Not the way you want to finish, but always good to feel the support from the fans.”
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