Paul Skenes' girlfriend Olivia Dunne looks back at Pirates ace's 'fairytale' rookie season, reveals how his mindset inspires her gymnastics journey
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes' remarkable rookie season in 2024 was rewarded on Monday after he was named the NL Rookie of the Year by Baseball Writer's Association of America.
Skenes' girlfriend, Olivia Dunne, who was with the flamethrower when he was announced as the winner reflected on Pirates star's accolade and looked back at his stellar rookie season in Pittsburgh.
In a video shared by MLB's Instagram handle, Dunne shared the best moment from Skenes' rookie season:
"My favorite moment from Paul's rookie season, can I think about it for a second? There are so many. My favorite moment was when he pitched for the first time at Wrigley Field. I wasn't there but I was screaming on my phone, jumping up and down. I was so excited. He did amazing.
Talking about Skenes' season, the LSU gymnast said:
"It was like watching a unicorn. Like watching a fairytale. The thing that impressed me most was how quickly he went through the minor leagues and went to the big leagues and dominated. It was so admirable."
Olivia Dunne said she is trying to take inspiration from her boyfriend's historic season hailing the Pirates ace's mindset. She said:
"The thing that makes Paul (Skenes) elite is his mindset and I try to take that into my gymnastics and I try to get advice from him, and I just think he's so disciplined and I really admire that. I just love him so much, and I'm so proud of him."
Paul Skenes' girlfriend Olivia Dunne shares pictures from ROY celebrations
It was a close race for the NL ROY title between Paul Skenes and San Diego Padres' Jackson Merrill. However, Skenes dominance from the mound gave him the edge over the Padres rookie.
Olivia Dunne shared behind the scenes pictures in the build up to the announcement of the award on Monday. She also shared a picture of holding a special cake to celebrate the accolade, which read "Rookie & a Cookie. Congrats ROY!"
Paul Skenes could add another major accolade to his resume as he is one of the three finalists for the coveted NL Cy Young award. He is competing against veteran hurlers Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves and Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies.