Paul Skenes' 2026 MLB season is not going as planned.
The Pittsburgh Pirates ace is 9-11 on the season with a 3.88 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. Those are not bad numbers. However, they pale in comparison to his numbers from his first two seasons in the league, when he was utterly dominant.
Recently, the former LSU Tigers star has struggled with velocity dips. He has not gone deeper than 5.1 innings in each of his last four starts. Skenes lasted just five innings in his most-recent start against the Marlins, when his fastball was lower than his typical 98 MPH velocity.
Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images.
But following the disappointing start, Skenes was spotted out on the beach with his girlfriend, Olivia Dunne.
While MLB players are certainly allowed to enjoy time off, some fans found it a bit tone-deaf, to see the star pitcher relaxing on the beach after posting some disappointing performances on the mound.
"Paul Skenes and Livvy Dunne at the beach in Miami. Skenes is simply not in shape for a pro athlete. In fact, it is not even close. IMO this cannot be helping his performance. My question - is he fully committed and doing all he can to perform the best he possibly can?" one critic said.
Skenes' beach photos spark debate
"Surely he can pitch 5 innings every 5 days. That's all that's asked of starting pitchers. He damn sure won't ever need to ramp up for a postseason, at least until his contract is up and he can sign with a competitive team," one fan wrote.
"Like a good southern couple. Man is making millions, body gets aged. Lady has to be a 10 at all times," one fan added.
"Not a good look," one shared.
"Livy is in the picture and your looking at Skenes body. Interesting take," another fan joked.
"The extra weight could definitely be affecting his stamina, and in turn his velocity and ability to pitch in the deeper innings. The truth is, it simply takes more energy to carry around the extra weight," one fan added.
What do you make of Skenes appearing on the beach with his girlfriend after a bad start?
