PHOTO: Paul Skenes' girlfriend Olivia Dunne rocks black swimwear on last day of her summer getaway in Mexico
With Paul Skenes settling into the MLB more seamlessly than anyone could have hoped, the Pittsburgh Pirates have added a very capable pitcher to their rotation. Skenes has started four games in his rookie season, and the Pirates have won three, including against the Detroit Tigers on Skenes' 22nd birthday.
Skenes' girlfriend, Olivia Dunne, has been in Cabo, Mexico and has kept her 2.26 million Snapchat subscribers up to date on her time there.
Dunne took to the platform to share a picture of her enjoying a cold drink in a black swimsuit, with a fantastic hat offering some shade from the sunshine. In her next post, Dunne bade farewell to Cabo but said she would be back.
Meanwhile, Paul Skenes and the Pirates came away with a 10-2 win over the Tigers on Wednesday. At 26-30, Pittsburgh is still within reach of the NL Central-leading, 33-23 Milwaukee Brewers, and the team has a very realistic shot at making the postseason.
The San Francisco Giants are 29-28 and hold the last playoff spot in the NL, so there's everything to play for.
Can Paul Skenes be the catalyst for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024?
The Pirates are without an appearance in the playoffs since 2015 and without a postseason win since 2013. Skenes' addition to the rotation could be the catalyst for Pittsburgh, and with the franchise yet to win an NL Central title, fans are likely tempering their expectations.
Pirates fans have seen it before, and know that having a top young pitcher is one thing, keeping him is another. The franchise has seen prospects like Gerrit Cole and Tyler Glasnow come and go, and the fear is that one day Paul Skenes will take a similar route to a big spender. Right now, Skenes is playing better baseball than Glasnow did in Pittsburgh, and at least at the same level as Cole did.
These concerns, though, are in the long term, and right now Pirates fans mostly want the team to make the postseason after a disappointing few years. Skenes is 2-0 after four starts and adds wins to a rotation that contains Mitch Keller, (6-3), Jared Jones (3-5) and Bailey Falter (3-2).
Skenes' next start comes against the LA Dodgers next week, and this will be a huge test for the young pitcher. With the Dodgers boasting an extremely formidable hitting roster, Skenes will be tested from the off.
If the Pirates secure a series win over the 26-29 Toronto Blue Jays, and Paul Skenes lead the Pirates to victory on Wednesday, there will certainly be cause for optimism in Pittsburgh.