"Beware of the splinker" - Paul Skenes' girlfriend Olivia Dunne gives playful warning about rookie's signature pitch
Olivia Dunne did many things while she was at the Javits Center in New York City for the Fanatics Fest event over the weekend. Among them was imitating her boyfriend, Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes. She dressed up like him, including sporting his iconic mustache.
On Tuesday, she uploaded a video starting with her on a phone call, stating she has a baseball game to prepare for. Next up, she donned herself in Skenes' Pirates jersey to throw his iconic pitch, the splinker, a combination of splitter and a sinker, something the rookie does exceptionally well.
"Beware of the splinker," she wrote in the caption of the video.
Splinker, a hybrid pitch, gives Paul Skenes an edge over hitters. No one throws harder than him in all of baseball. He pitches it at around 94.7 mph.
Apart from preparing the video, she even threw one at the hall, surrounded by fans. She threw the pitch and followed it up with an acrobatic step before settling for a pose in front of the camera.
Moreover, at the Fanatics event, Dunne also got a discount on Paul Skenes' Topps baseball card pair. She did so while being undercover and stated her surprise at such a high price for Skenes' cards.
Now she has returned to LSU, preparing for her final season as she aims to win one more natty before calling time on her college career.
Olivia Dunne surprised by how hard Paul Skenes threw
After being selected first overall in last year's draft, it was only time before Paul Skenes would make his debut.
Scouting reports about him before his debut in May said he regularly pitches 100-mph heaters. That proved right as he flaunted his high fastballs, which even amazed Olivia Dunne, who was in the suits at PNC Park cheering for him on his debut.
“I always say it’s way harder to be the person in the stands watching because I’m not in control,” Olivia Dunne told the reporter. “I can’t control — I don’t know how to throw a 100-mile [per hour] fastball, but it’s hard to have no control. Especially with gymnastics when you’re just watching. But I know he’s got this and I just have a lot of confidence in him.”
Since making his debut, Paul Skenes has exceeded expectations and is currently a frontrunner for NL Rookie of the Year and even Cy Young if he pitches enough innings.