By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-09-30 15:36:29 | Updated at 2024-09-30 17:22:42
1 hour ago
Olivia Dunne has paid tribute to her 'little rookie' boyfriend Paul Skenes after the Pirates pitcher rounded out his snesational first MLB season at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.
Dunne shared a picture of herself in the stands in New York with Skenes pitching in the background in his final game of the season for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Skenes only played for two innings on Saturday but struck out Aaron Judge and Juan Soto with Dunne cheering him on in cowboy boots that had Skenes' name emblazoned across them.
'My little rookie,' Dunne wrote on Instagram alongside the pictures she shared of her and Skenes celebrating together.
The LSU gymnast has traveled across the United States to cheer Skenes on throughout his rookie season. where the pitcher has underlined his credentials as one of baseball's biggest talents.
Olivia Dunne paid tribute to her boyfriend Paul Skenes after his baseball season ended
Dunne uploaded an array of snaps of her with Skenes from his first season in MLB
Skenes made 23 starts, threw in 133 innings and finished with an ERA of 1.96. His fastball averages at 99mph but has hit speeds of 101.5mph.
Skenes, 22, started the season at Triple A level before being elevated into the starting rotation at the Pirates, who took him with their first pick of the Draft in July 2023.
He faces competition from Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres to win rookie of the year, which is expected to be announced in November.
The one thing that could count against Skenes is that he started the season in Triple A, where as Merrill played the full season in MLB. But otherwise, Skenes has a compelling case to win the honor.
His season ended Saturday with the Pirates failing to make the playoffs, but Skenes was able to reflect on a magnificent start to his career in his rookie year.
Speaking after Saturday's game, he told the New York Post: 'Definitely glad to be able to finish the season and cool to do it here, cool to do it against this lineup. Wish I could keep going, but that’s where we’re at.
'I like New York, the stadium is one of the destinations in baseball for sure, a place to cross off your bucket list. Cool to be out there and pitch.'
Skenes is one of the leading contenders to win Rookie of the Year after a stunning season
Yankees manager Aaron Boone was impressed after seeing Skenes pitch against him team for the first time.
'Pretty dynamic. The ease with which he does it, you don’t feel like he’s max-effort out there,' Boone said.
'It’s just easy velocity that he can step on the four-seam, sinker, change speeds on you really well. Because he does it with ease, it lends itself to him having real good command with it.'
