MLB Star Paul Skenes Serves Veterans 1 Day After Winning Cy Young Award
In a world filled with sports stars carrying massive egos to match their massive paychecks, there is still a rare breed that exudes selflessness and service.
Just one day after unanimously winning the National League Cy Young Award at just 23 years old, Skenes hit up Raising Cane's in West Palm Beach, Florida, in partnership with The Gary Sinise Foundation and worked a "shift."
The 6-foot-6, 235-pounder towered over the veterans while working behind the register. He dished the restaurant chain's famous Box Combo before working the drive-thru.
Skenes, whose relationship with Raising Cane's dates back to his already legendary days as a star at LSU, signed autographs and spent time talking with the veterans about their time serving in the military and their favorite teams, among other things.
During the 2025 season, Skenes partnered with The Gary Sinise Foundation, a nonprofit founded by the Forrest Gump star that supports America's veterans, first responders, and their families, to donate $100 to the nonprofit for every strikeout he recorded.
Skenes struck out a staggering 216 batters. His 2025 campaign is considered the greatest season for a pitcher in the Modern Era of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He finished with a whopping 1.97 ERA in 32 starts.
Skenes, a former Air Force cadet, also teamed up with Raising Cane's for its Veterans Day campaign, which raised $500,000 for The Gary Sinise Foundation. He accepted the check on behalf of the foundation.
"This partnership is special. Cane’s is a household name, so for them to be willing to partner with the Gary Sinise Foundation is very selfless," said Skenes ahead of his "shift. "If you really think about it, baseball is pretty low on the totem pole of things that matter in this world. It's really easy to get wrapped up in the game, but the highs and the lows in baseball aren't adversity, definitely not to the extent that the men and women who fight for our country face adversity, so it really puts things in perspective."
This Is Not Skenes' First 'Shift'
That Skenes partnered with Raising Cane's is not a surprise. The MLB star, who is dating former LSU gymnastics star Livvy Dunne, worked a "shift" after leading LSU to the 2023 NCAA College World Series championship.
Skenes and his teammates joined Tigers coach Jay Johnson at Raising Cane's first-ever restaurant, which is located across from LSU's North Gates.
Already Back at Work
Skenes celebrated his Cy Young win by, what else, getting back to work.
"I’m celebrating the Cy Young Award by getting back to work! It really doesn't change much," he said. "Going into the offseason, I know I'm not a finished product and I won't be for a long time. So, I'm just figuring out ways to get better."
Paul Skenes winning Rookie of the Year: ????
— MLB (@MLB) November 13, 2025
Paul Skenes winning Cy Young: ???? https://t.co/Vw8ANXAoEs pic.twitter.com/hAymCO5Qxs
Skenes' Reaction to His Reaction
For the uninitiated, Skenes went viral last year after showing zero emotion on live television when it was announced that he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award.
Skenes appears to have a stone-cold look on his face while his entire family, including Dunne, practicaly jump with joy in celebration.
This time around, Skenes pumped both his fists and elicited a smirk on his face. And he rehearsed his reaction, too.
Related: Livvy Dunne Reacts in Real-Time to Paul Skene's Historic End to 2025 Season
"It's tough. I won the national championship at LSU and right when you get done they stick a mic in your face," Skenes says. "It's like a running joke, high school players and college players, they go to the draft and they get picked … the most emotional moment of your life, and they stick a mic in your face. So, it's always weird to have these things on live television, because I'm not a reactionary person. It is what it is. We had rehearsed a couple of times, you get in the moment and it's like, 'Sweet.' So, I don't know. People can say what they want about it. I don't really care."
The 2025 NL Cy Young winner has spoken.