The St. Louis Cardinals delivered a clever shot after their 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday night, trolling Paul Skenes on social media after Matthew Liberatore outdueled the reigning NL Rookie of the Year.
Following the game, the Cardinals posted a graphic of Liberatore’s stat line—7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 8 K—with the caption: “Libby Done.” The phrase is a subtle dig at Skenes’ girlfriend, influencer and former LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne.
The play on words comes after Liberatore, known by fans as “Libby,” delivered one of the best starts of his career.
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Liberatore, matched a career high in strikeouts and dropped his ERA to 3.07. His performance drew praise from manager Oli Marmol: “There’s just a conviction… He’s going to go right after you.”
Fans were quick to react, with one user commenting, “Someone give the admin a raise,” while another praised the pitching performance, writing, “Another Libby masterclass.”
Skenes, despite his impressive numbers, including a 2.75 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 32.2 career innings versus St. Louis, is now 0-4 in five starts against the Cardinals.
Paul Skenes walks the red carpet with his girlfriend LSU gymnast Olivia Livvy Dunne before the 2024 MLB All-Star game at Globe Life Field.Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
However, it isn’t all on Skenes. The Pirates have provided just three total runs in support while he’s been on the mound in those outings.
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Tuesday’s game followed a familiar script. Skenes cruised through five innings before a sixth-inning rally saw Nolan Arenado single, Willson Contreras walk and Alec Burleson—who has the most career hits against Skenes—drill a 99-mph fastball into the left-field corner for a two-run double.
The series between the two clubs wraps up with their third game, Wednesday at 12:45 p.m. CT.
Related: Alec Burleson, Cardinals Continue to be Paul Skenes’ Kryptonite
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