Olivia Dunne had a reason to celebrate because her boyfriend, Paul Skenes, reached a noteworthy professional milestone. On May 11 against the Chicago Cubs, Skenes, a top prospect in the Pittsburgh Pirates, made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut. As Dunne watched Skenes’ first strikeout, she couldn’t contain her delight and shared it on Instagram. It seemed that nature also poured its colors into the moment to make it a memorable one!
Livvy shared Skenes’ first strikeout video on her Instagram story, showcasing to her followers the thrill of PNC Park. She wrote with excitement, “Oh my goodness! My first MLB strikeout 🖤” and tagged “@paulskenes,” demonstrating her backing and happiness for her partner. However, Dunne also posted a snapshot of herself in the next story, which captured a beautiful rainbow. Enjoying the view, Dunne wrote, “Hello rainbow”. She also posted a breathtaking clip of the rainbow gracing the ground in her following story.
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Even though Skenes was the first overall choice in the 2023 MLB draft with a whopping $9.2 million bonus, he suffered an odd when the Pirates placed him on the development list, stopping him from competing professionally in 2023. However, Skenes’ name was included as one of the 13 players chosen by the Pirates in their list of non-roster invitees for the 2024 Spring Training.
The five players from MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 lineup, in which he placed third, are also included in the list. Skenes posted a thrilling video on Instagram along with the message, “Time to compete,” to announce the news. Livvy had to be happy with that and she made no bones about it in an interview.
One of Olivia Dunne’s “favorite” moments
Olivia Dunne talked candidly about her feelings around her boyfriend Paul Skenes’ eagerly awaited MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in a recent interview with SportsNet Pittsburgh. She gave a glimpse of the backing they received from Pittsburgh supporters. She noted the range of emotions as Skenes was ready to take the pitch for his first Major League Baseball game. Her experience was “probably one of her favorites.”
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Dunne mentioned in an interview stating, “I had some nerves at first but I’ve kind of channeled that into excitement,” Dunne continued, “I just have the most confidence in him ever.” Moreover, when Paul got the call-up, they hurriedly left for Pittsburgh, a six-hour trip away. Recalling this moment, Dunne expressed, “That’s the quickest I have ever packed in my life”. She emphasizes how proud and happy she was to see Skenes’ commitment pay off on this important event.
"There's nothing that tops this."
NCAA national champion gymnast @livvydunne on her boyfriend Paul Skenes's debut and the reception from Pittsburgh fans 🖤💛@mearshannah_ | #LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/64hwlscvhF
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) May 11, 2024
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Paul Skenes’ confronted his obstacles throughout his four innings on the mound, allowing three runs on six hits but still managing to strike out seven opponents. With a lightning-bolt of a fastball that clocked in at 102 in the first inning, his throwing arm unleashed some serious fire, hitting the 100 mph mark an astounding 27 times. Indeed, many such occasions for celebrations are up for Livvy in the coming days!