Olivia Dunne Welcomes WAG Era VIDEO
Major League Baseball is buzzing with excitement, not just for Paul Skenes’ MLB debut but also for the presence of his girlfriend, Olivia Dunne. The Pirates’ prospect made his first major league start on Saturday, pitching four innings, allowing three runs on six hits, and striking out seven. The MLB TikTok account captured the moment, posting a clip from Dunne’s interview with SportsNet Pittsburgh, captioned, “Livvy Dunne entering her MLB WAG era.”
Dunne, a star gymnast at LSU and one of the top NIL earners in college sports, has been a supportive presence for Skenes. Skenes, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, also played at LSU. In the clip shared by MLB, Dunne expressed her feelings about watching Skenes play. “I always say, it’s way harder to be the person in the stands watching because I’m not in control,” she said. “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.”
Skenes, 21, made a strong impression by striking out the first two batters he faced and reaching speeds of up to 102 mph. His fastball consistently hit at least 99.6 mph 27 times during his 84-pitch outing, and he reached 100 mph 17 times. In seven starts with Triple-A Indianapolis this season, Skenes has a 0.99 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 27 ⅓ innings.
Dunne, who was present at the game, shared her pride and excitement in an interview. “I have so many amazing memories with him but I know how hard he has worked for this moment,” she said. “Seriously, there’s nothing that can top this, I’m just so proud.”
Dunne, 21, is fresh off a national championship with the LSU gymnastics team and is contemplating whether to use her fifth year of eligibility granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The couple has drawn comparisons to other high-profile sports couples, with fans likening them to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Dunne has embraced these comparisons, sharing pictures of the couple celebrating Skenes’ first game win on social media. “Way to go Bucco,” she captioned one of the photos. She even liked a comment from a fan that said, “Wag era loading, you’re a mini Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.”
MLB seems thrilled to have Dunne, who boasts millions of followers across her social media channels, at games. On TikTok, MLB shared a video of Dunne discussing her nerves while watching Skenes play, captioned, “Livvy Dunne entering her MLB WAG era.”
Dunne is currently considering her next steps. As a gymnast at LSU, she has the option to return to college for one more year. Meanwhile, Skenes appears to be settling into MLB comfortably. The pitcher, the top overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft, showed why he’s considered one of the best pitching prospects in a generation. He received a standing ovation from the near-capacity crowd in Pittsburgh, including his girlfriend, and reached 100 mph on 17 of his 84 pitches.
During the third inning, Dunne, wearing a personalized Skenes jacket, was interviewed by Sportsnet Pittsburgh. She expressed her admiration for Skenes. “I had some nerves creep in at first, but I’ve kind of channeled it into excitement rather than nerves, and I just have the most confidence in him ever,” she said. “I just trust in him, and what he’s put in, and I’m just so excited. It’s amazing, the support here is awesome. Pittsburgh has been so welcoming. Just seeing people wearing Air Force stuff, LSU stuff, Skenes jerseys.”
Dunne also shared the moment Skenes got the call to join the Pirates in the majors. “All I can say is I think that’s the quickest I’ve ever packed in my life,” she said. “We woke up from a nap, he had a few missed calls, and he got called up. He was like, ‘let’s pack’ and then we hit the road. It was very exciting! I have so many amazing memories with him, but I know how hard he’s worked for this moment. This is probably one of my favorite moments I’ve ever seen, seriously, there’s nothing that can top this. I’m just so proud!”
Dunne and Skenes went public with their relationship in August last year. Skenes is expected to be back in action for the Pirates on Thursday in a return game against the Cubs in Chicago.
