Paul Skenes, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year, is preparing to pitch against the Seattle Mariners this Sunday as the Pittsburgh Pirates continue their season. Meanwhile, his girlfriend, Olivia Dunne, has been taking time off from her athletic career to relax and celebrate the holiday weekend.
Having retired from gymnastics earlier this year, the former LSU star enjoyed the Fourth of July at a beach in Southampton on Long Island’s east end. Dunne shared photos from the Hamptons, highlighting her festive red-and-white bikini in a celebratory Instagram post.
“Red, white & freckled,” she captioned the Instagram post.
This visit marked a return to the same area where Dunne spent last year’s Fourth of July, attending a high-profile white party hosted by Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin at his oceanfront Bridgehampton home.
The event gathered numerous celebrities including NFL legend Tom Brady and his former Patriots teammate Rob Gronkowski, along with rappers Quavo, French Montana, and Meek Mill. Other guests included Kim Kardashian, Odell Beckham Jr., Megan Fox, Machine Gun Kelly, and Travis Scott.
Paul Skenes Recognized as the Pirates’ Most Valuable Player in the Season’s First Half
While Olivia Dunne took time to relax, Paul Skenes has been a standout performer for the Pittsburgh Pirates during a tough season. Despite the team’s challenging position at the bottom of the National League Central earlier in the year, Skenes’ pitching has been a bright spot in the Pirates’ recent resurgence.
ESPN analyst Brad Doolittle named Skenes the Pirates MVP for the first half of the season, highlighting the pitcher’s remarkable consistency and dominance on the mound.
“Paul Skenes (137 AXE, 1st on Pirates, 9th in MLB). Skenes is 41 starts into his career, and his ERA remains under two: 1.99, over 244 innings. His ERA+ is 213. It’s the best ever given a minimum career total of 41 starts,” Doolittle wrote.
“Sure, Skenes might hit rough patches and the number would go up. But he’s got a lot of room for error: second best is Kodai Senga (160 over 43 starts) and third is Jacob deGrom (157 over 235 starts).”
In recent weeks, the Pirates have won seven of their last ten games, including a series sweep of the New York Mets. They then swept the St. Louis Cardinals with three consecutive shutout wins. This momentum ended with a 6-0 loss to the Mariners on Friday, but the team has shown promising signs of competitiveness.
The Significance of Skenes’ Performance and What Lies Ahead for the Pirates
Paul Skenes’ standout pitching performance amidst a difficult season offers hope for the Pirates’ future. His early career ERA and advanced metrics place him among the best pitchers the franchise has seen, potentially signaling the emergence of a franchise cornerstone.
As Skenes continues to build his career and the Pirates work to improve their standings in the National League Central, fans will watch closely to see if this promising start can translate into sustained team success. Meanwhile, Olivia Dunne’s rising profile off the field complements the growing attention around the young pitcher’s achievements.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Paul Skenes really good?
A. Skenes had an outstanding first season. He pitched 133 innings, getting more than five strikeouts for every walk and achieving a 1.96 ERA. The last time a rookie started at least 20 games with an ERA below 2.00 was in 1918, by Scott Perry during the end of the dead ball era.
Q. Why did Pirates pull Paul Skenes?
A. The Pittsburgh Pirates’ manager, Derek Shelton, removed Skenes after he threw 99 pitches and tied his career record with 11 strikeouts. Shelton explained to reporters, including those from SportsNet Pittsburgh, that he was confident in his choice to take Skenes out. “Not at all. He was tired,” Shelton said.
Q. Has anybody pulled the Paul Skenes card?
A. The dad mentioned reaching out to three auction companies: REA, Heritage Auctions, and Fanatics Collect. The family first spoke with Fanatics Collect on January 2. Just 19 days after that, an 11-year-old collector found the Skenes card in one hobby box.
Q. Did Paul Skenes go to the military?
A. Paul Skenes chose a career in professional baseball rather than joining the military. However, he continues to support those who served through his influence.