Pete Crow-Armstrong was living the dream on Tuesday night in Atlanta. The Chicago Cubs center fielder proudly strutted down the MLB All-Star Game red carpet, which he is a part of, grinning from ear to ear. He was waving to the fans who went, “Pete…Pete,” and stopped every few steps to sign their autographs.

At just 23 years old, Armstrong has become a rising star in the big league, and this red carpet moment was just another reminder that he has officially arrived. But fans were not simply cheering loudly for his batting average. All eyes shifted to someone who was walking beside him on the carpet—his girlfriend, Hailey Lavelle.

Hailey looked every bit the star beside Armstrong. The couple has been dating for a year and a half and turned heads as they posed for the photos, hand in hand, owning the spotlight.

And Pete Crow-Armstrong made sure Hailey got her shine. “It’s the best. It’s my first red carpet. I’m glad I’ve got someone good-looking with me to hold my sweaty hands.” Lavelle simply laughed beside him, and honestly, it gave Pete another winning reason and brownie points for fans to root for him.

As far as on-the-field winning goes, PCA’s numbers simply speak volumes. He is batting .265 with 25 home runs, 71 RBIs, and 27 steals. He has become the third player in MLB history with 25+ homers and 25+ steals before the All-Star break. But of course, off the field, he is simply a guy who is in love, with a custom “Clark the Cub” bat and a girlfriend who stole the spotlight from him, not that he would mind.

He even chatted with Javy Baez, the player he was traded for in 2021 between New York and Chicago. PCA asked whether Baez thought he would play center field in the All-Star Game, to which Baez replied, “Honestly, no, and I’m nervous now. Hopefully, I don’t get burned.”

Now, Pete’s spotlight moment is just the start, and by the looks of it, he seems more than happy to share it with someone who makes it better.

And if you are wondering how this couple came to be, the story actually has Hollywood ties…

Pete Crow-Armstrong and Hailey Lavelle’s unexpected Hollywood love story 

There are two types of couples in MLB town. On one side, you have someone like Paul Skenes and Olivia Dunne, high profile, all over the internet and the news. Then there are some, like Shohei Ohtani or Aaron Judge and their partners, who keep things private. And Pete Crow-Armstrong is in the latter group. Until now, not much was known about Hailey and, most importantly, how the story began.

Turns out that Pete and Hailey met at Vanessa Hudgens and Cole Tucker’s wedding in December 2023. Yes, the High School Musical star—Hudgens! The former MLB player and the movie star played matchmakers unknowingly. The wedding had taken place in Tulum, Mexico, at the luxurious Azulik resort. Hudgens had referred to it as “magical,” and you bet it was as magical for PCA and Hailey, too.

Since that dreamy beginning, the two have been together about a year and a half. While PCA was pretty hush-hush, the most infamous unveiling of his relationship came during spring training. Remember when he showed up with bright blue stars dyed into his hair? It was not a bold style choice. He later admitted to ESPN, “I was just going in to get a cleanup. I already had bleach. And my girlfriend, Hailey, and her little sister—she’s a tattoo artist, but she’s a very talented artist overall—and I trusted her to paint, and she kind of egged me on and convinced me to throw some big blue stars on my head.” It was one of the first real hints that Hailey was not just some mystery girl.

In April, Pete also made a birthday post for Hailey, writing, “Happy Birthday Hailey Girl, I love ya,” along with a cute carousel. Even Hailey had shot the “Happy birthday, Starboy, I love you every day” on Pete Crow-Armstrong’s birthday.

From an accidental meet-cute to walking the red carpet and starting to become the next most talked-about couple—not bad, right?