Will Livvy Dunne Have the Taylor Swift Effect on the MLB?

Taylor Swift had a big impact on NFL viewing and interest last season, because she started dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Now, it's worth asking if Livvy Dunne will have the Taylor Swift effect on the MLB. Why? Well, she's dating new Pittsburgh Pirates pitching star Paul Skenes, who made his long-awaited MLB debut last weekend.

Livvy Dunne's longime boyfriend, Paul Skenes, had a big debut last weekend with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He stroke out seven and hit 100 mph 17 times. It was an impressive showing, to say the least, and helped score the Pirates a win on the road against the Chicago Cubs. But, even with all the excitement of his debut, Dunne kind of stole the spotlight. The LSU gymnast and NIL hotshot was at the game to support her guy, and pretty much everyone played up her appearance, from the Pirates to the MLB to the media. The MLB's highlight reel of Skenes' first game even shows Dunne cheering on her man.

What's more, the MLB took to social media to make sure everyone knew that Dunne was at the game, gunning for the Taylor Swift effect. They posted an interview with Dunne on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram talking about how happy she was to see Skenes shine on his debut. On TikTok, they shared the clip with the caption, "Livvy Dunne is entering her MLB WAG era."

I think it's great that Dunne is supporting her man and watching him excel in the MLB. But, it feels kind of like the league is trying to force a Taylor Swift moment here, and I just don't see that happening. While Dunne is hugely popular, she's just not at the level of a pop star like Swift. But, the MLB would be silly to sleep on this relationship. After all, Dunne has 8 million followers on TikTok, which is nearly 1 million more than MLB. She also has 5.2 million followers on Instagram and 2.2 million followers on Snapchat. In other words, her social following, for the most part, is bigger than the MLB and their teams. She took to social media to post about Skenes' debut, and it's getting hundreds of thousands of likes. So, sure, go for it MLB. Maybe it will help the brand grow and attract more viewers, even if it's not quite the Taylor Swift effect. What's cool is that Dunne is also an athlete, so these two seem perfect for each other. I wish them lots of happiness and many winning games. But, go Tigers.

Spring is coming, and that means baseball is on the way. So, why not get into some early MLB Power Rankings?

If you weren't happy with how last season ended, then you're in luck. That's because you have a million new games up ahead in the 2024 season. Okay, maybe not a million. But, a lot. The Major League Baseball season schedule packs a whopping 162 games for each of the 30 teams in the American League (AL) and National League (NL). Those games take place over about six months. That means baseball fans, in theory, could watch 2,430 games in the regular season alone.

Don't do that. You have more of a life than to sit around watching 2,430 baseball games. But, I should talk. During football season, I watch all the games I can get my eyes on.

Let's not leave out the minor leagues, by the way. It's always really fun to go to a minor league baseball game, because it's much more chill than a major league game. It's also cheaper, both tickets and parking. So, don't just support your major league team this year. Cheer for the minor league guys, too. You won't have quite as many games to catch in the minor league, though, as a full, regular season in Triple-A is 150 games, Double-A is 138 games and High-A and Single-A are 132 games. Still, that's lots and lots of baseball to attend.

With the official start of baseball season getting closer, it's a good time to get into my initial Power Rankings for 2024. Sure, this is a bit premature, since players will shift going into the season. But, the biggest players are with their respective teams now, so we have a good picture and idea of which teams will pop in 2024. Frankly, deciding between No. 1 and 2 was very difficult, because both teams are so, so solid right now. Who are your picks for the 2024 season? Reach out to me here and let me know, and find the full MLB schedule here.

Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has done a good job of putting together a team that could deliver, even with a limited budget. Expect to see Mitch Garver, Jorge Polanco, Luis Urias, Mitch Haniger and many more on the field this season. The Mariners were decent last year, and fans could be in for a solid team this year.

Wander Franco is still a question, but with out without him, the Tampa Bay Rays look strong. The team simply has one of the best batches of offensive players in the MLB. Will they go all the way? We'll find out. They could certainly make a run for it.

The Toronto Blue Jays played well last season and had a fantastic rotation, but they didn't win a playoff game. Say what? They're back for revenge this year, and they have a similar, stellar lineup.

The New York Yankees have more question marks than most of the teams on this list. But, overall, they look solid. As time shakes out, we'll know more about how this roster will shape up, but it's looking on the upswing so far. Would you expect anything less from such a heritage team?

The Arizona Diamondbacks are coming off a pleasantly surprising World Series run. They're hungry for more. They've added Eduardo Rodriguez to the middle of their rotation and have made a few other choice moves.

How did the Philadelphia Phillies not make it to the World Series last year? They totally should have, but that's all in the past. The team has gotten so close for so long, and this seems like the year that they could actually win it all. Maybe.

The Baltimore Orioles won 101 games last year, but they're bringing in Jackson Holliday, who will probably be AL Rookie of the Year. They've also added Craig Kimbrel to the fold. Fans expected bolder moves, but we feel good about this lineup.

The Houston Astros are regulars on the road to the World Series. They were in the American League Championship Series for the seventh consecutive season in 2023. They're likely to do it again.

The Dodgers really stepped it up in the offseason. They've brought on star players in Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. They're going to be really tough to beat.

The Atlanta Braves are the team to beat in 2024. Not only do they have a stellar lineup that they're bringing back from last season, but they've also added left fielder Jarred Kelenic and pitcher Chris Sale. They're the team to beat.

How did the Texas Rangers not get in the top 10? Ridiculous, right? Well, they obviously just won the World Series. They could do it again, but I decided to give some of the other teams a bit of the spotlight. That said, yes, the Rangers are going to be very strong in 2024. Also, don't laugh at the Detroit Tigers. They underperformed in 2023, but they could surprise people. Over the year, the team has brought on plenty of talent, and they've continued that in the offseason.