Rookie Moves ⚾
This is cool. – Paul Skenes
When Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes won NL Rookie of the Year on Monday, the vibes were…not great. Sure, the win was expected—dude was a lock—but watching it all go down felt more awkward than exciting. And yeah, that hug-and-almost-kiss moment with Livvy Dunne didn’t help.
Paul Skenes is inevitable.
Say hello to your 2024 National League Rookie of the Year. pic.twitter.com/AuHEYcN3a6
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) November 18, 2024
The Awkward Acceptance
First off, Skenes was stoic (generous verbiage). Not chill, not cool—just straight-up uncomfortable. He sat on that brown leather couch with a fireplace flickering in the background, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. When Cal Ripken Jr. made it official, Skenes gave a grin, a couple of head nods, and a mumbled, “This is cool.” Bro, it’s Rookie of the Year—maybe act like it?
Wow.
Paul Skenes with one of the best acceptance speeches you’ll ever hear. pic.twitter.com/vbdeA9YGHk
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) November 19, 2024
Meanwhile, Livvy Dunne, Skenes’ gymnast girlfriend-slash-social media superstar, was all in. She clapped, cheered, and shouted, “Congratulations, babe!” as they leaned in for what should’ve been a cute celebratory kiss. Instead, they ended up playing a weird game of cheek-lips-shoulder tag. Livvy pivoted her cheek; Skenes awkwardly adjusted, and they landed…somewhere. It was a hard watch.
The moment Paul Skenes won the 2024 NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award! 👏 pic.twitter.com/XzldDCuKeT
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 18, 2024
Still, He Deserved It
Awkward vibes aside, Skenes deserved the win. The Paul Skenes stats were insane: 11-3 record, 1.96 ERA, 133 innings, 170 strikeouts, and a 2.45 WHIP in his first MLB season. Throw in a National League All-Star Game start and a college national championship with LSU before that, and it’s clear this guy isn’t just good—he’s generational.
It’s also worth noting that Paul Skenes and Livvy Dunne are one of the most high-profile couples in sports and MLB news right now. She’s got over eight million TikTok followers, a $4 million NIL valuation, and helped LSU gymnastics win a national championship this year.
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Final Thoughts
Look, I get it—some people just aren’t built for the spotlight, and Paul Skenes might be one of them. Accepting praise like “You’re the best rookie pitcher in baseball” can’t be easy. But if you’re going to win MLB Rookie of the Year, maybe bring a little energy to the moment.
Still, awkward or not, Skenes crushed it this season, and that’s what matters. Livvy Dunne boyfriend vibes aside, the guy’s a beast. The Pirates have a star, and for Skenes, it’s only up from here.
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