Paul Skenes is heading to Pittsburgh. And so is his girlfriend, Olivia Dunne.
Earlier this week, the Pittsburgh Pirates called up Skenes, who is expected to make his Major League debut as the team’s starting pitcher against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. The 21-year-old Skenes is the top-rated prospect in the Pirates’ organization according to MLB.com and will make his big league debut less than a year after Pittsburgh selected him with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.
Skenes also happens to be the boyfriend of Dunne, the LSU gymnast and social media influencer who has obtained worldwide fame in the last couple of years. Shortly after the news of Skenes’ call-up, Dunne took to TikTok — where she has more than eight million followers — to reveal that the couple learned of his promotion after waking up from a nap.
@livvy Go Paul go!!! #mlb #foryou #relationship ♬ original sound – james
“He’s pretty level-headed all the time — that’s what I love about him — and I think we’re a really good pair because of that,” Dunne told ESPN in February regarding her relationship with Skenes, per the New York Post. “Because I have such a crazy lifestyle and things get thrown my way all the time. Sometimes, my emotions can sway and he’s very level, and I just think it’s a very good match.”
The reigning College World Series Most Outstanding Pitcher and National Pitcher of the Year, the right-handed Skenes is known for his hard-throwing ability, including a fastball that reaches 102 miles per hour. He figures to be a fixture in the Pirates organization for years to come, with Saturday’s game marking the first chapter of what appears to be a promising pro career.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.