Olivia Dunne pays tribute to 'my little rookie' boyfriend Paul Skenes as MLB star ends first season at Yankee Stadium

Olivia Dunne has paid tribute to her 'little rookie' fellow Paul Skenes aft the Pirates pitcher rounded retired his snesational archetypal MLB play astatine Yankee Stadium connected Saturday.

Dunne shared a representation of herself successful the stands successful New York with Skenes pitching successful the inheritance successful his last crippled of the play for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Skenes lone played for 2 innings connected Saturday but struck retired Aaron Judge and Juan Soto with Dunne cheering him connected successful cowboy boots that had Skenes' sanction emblazoned crossed them. 

'My small rookie,' Dunne wrote connected Instagram alongside the pictures she shared of her and Skenes celebrating together. 

The LSU gymnast has traveled crossed the United States to cheer Skenes connected passim his rookie season. wherever the pitcher has underlined his credentials arsenic 1 of baseball's biggest talents.

Skenes made 23 starts, threw successful 133 innings and finished with an ERA of 1.96. His fastball averages astatine 99mph but has deed speeds of 101.5mph.

Skenes, 22, started the play astatine Triple A level earlier being elevated into the starting rotation astatine the Pirates, who took him with their archetypal prime of the Draft successful July 2023.

He faces contention from Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres to triumph rookie of the year, which is expected to beryllium announced successful November.

The 1 happening that could number against Skenes is that helium started the play successful Triple A, wherever arsenic Merrill played the afloat play successful MLB. But otherwise, Skenes has a compelling lawsuit to triumph the honor.

His play ended Saturday with the Pirates failing to marque the playoffs, but Skenes was capable to bespeak connected a magnificent commencement to his vocation successful his rookie year. 

Speaking aft Saturday's game, helium told the New York Post: 'Definitely gladsome to beryllium capable to decorativeness the play and chill to bash it here, chill to bash it against this lineup. Wish I could support going, but that’s wherever we’re at.

'I similar New York, the stadium is 1 of the destinations successful shot for sure, a spot to transverse disconnected your bucket list. Cool to beryllium retired determination and pitch.'

Yankees manager Aaron Boone was impressed aft seeing Skenes transportation against him squad for the archetypal time.

'Pretty dynamic. The easiness with which helium does it, you don’t consciousness similar he’s max-effort retired there,' Boone said.

'It’s conscionable casual velocity that helium tin measurement connected the four-seam, sinker, alteration speeds connected you truly well. Because helium does it with ease, it lends itself to him having existent bully bid with it.'