Olivia Dunne’s alleged boyfriend and former LSU classmate Paul Skenes BRANDS making his pro debut for Pittsburgh’s minor league club in the SAME Florida town, where she was spotted wearing a Pirates cap after being drafted first overall
- Dunne has never revealed a specific love interest, but rumors have swirled
- Speculation sparked after she was spotted wearing a pirate hat in Bradenton
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Paul Skenes, the rumored boyfriend of Olivia Dunne and the 2023 MLB draft pick, excelled in his first inning as a professional baller with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.
The 21-year-old right-handed pitcher didn’t allow a baserunner and beat Minnesota Twins nominee Walker Jenkins fifth overall pick in his first start for Pittsburgh’s Florida Coast League club on Thursday. Additionally, during his brief stint in Bradenton, Fla., Skenes’ fastball regularly reached speeds of around 100 mph and even reached 63 mph on the radar gun.
This is the same Florida town where Dunne, Skenes’ former LSU classmate, recently pictured wearing a Pirates cap after the team drafted him first overall in the MLB draft last month.
Dunne, the Tigers’ Instagram heartthrob and turnstar, hasn’t publicly revealed any specific romantic interests, but rumors swirled about the couple following her racy social media post last month.
Though it didn’t make big waves at the time, Dunne made a previous social media post in June that now seems like a possible reference to Skenes.
Former LSU pitcher Paul Skenes (left) is rumored to be dating Instagram star Olivia Dunne (right).
Paul Skenes knocks out Walker Jenkins with a 99 MPH fastball🔥
He was top with 101 and eliminated all three batsmen he faced in his pro debut💯 pic.twitter.com/5S9bs4AUJn
— Austin Oravec (@austinoravec) August 10, 2023
“Can we FaceTime?” read the caption for a video posted June 14.
“If he really wanted to talk face to face, he would teleport,” she added.
At the time, Skenes and the LSU Tigers baseball team in Omaha, Nebraska were on their way to a College World Series title.
Skenes’ pro debut has been eagerly awaited by Pirates supporters since he was picked first ahead of his LSU teammate Dylan Crews, who finished second overall at the Washington Nationals.
On Thursday in Bradenton, Skenes shuffled his slider and a 89mph squat change against the Twins FCL club.
According to On3, Dunne is currently one of the highest paid female athletes, making $3.5 million annually in name, image and likeness (NIL) deals centered on her social media profiles. She has worked with ESPN, BodyArmor, Sports Illustrated and Motorola.
Olivia Dunne pictured wearing a Pirates cap last month in Bradenton, where Paul Skenes recently began his Major League Baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates
According to On3, Dunne has made $3.2 million annually from her Instagram profile
Skenes signed a rookie deal that includes a record $9.2 million bonus
But as successful as she is, Skenes is already wealthier, having signed a rookie deal that includes a record $9.2 million bonus. It is the largest contract bonus in MLB history, surpassing the $8.4 million deal Spencer Torkelson received from the Detroit Tigers in 2021.
“It was a pretty easy decision given the organization and the people that are here,” said Skenes. “I felt very comfortable when I wanted to come here. Overall, I felt it was a very easy offer to accept.”
Skenes was sensational for LSU last season. After transferring from the Air Force, the California native went 12-2 with a 1.69 ERA and a .75 WHIP in 19 starts and 209 strikeouts in 122 2/3. innings
He was eventually named the most outstanding player in the College World Series.