Meet Olivia Dunne's Rumored Boyfriend, MLB Prospect Paul Skenes
Former LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne is reportedly dating pitcher Paul Skenes, a rising MLB star born in Orange County, California with a 90 MPH fastball and a bright future in the sport. Dunne's social media presence may be forging connections between women's gymnastics — she was on the US national team and is considered the highest-valued female college athlete as of 2022 at $3.3 million annually – and the influencer lifestyle, but fans still want to know who she's dating. Up until very recently, her dating life was pretty much the only information that she didn't volunteer to the public.
Dunne has openly shared traits about her dream partner, even though she kept the names of her possible prospects under wraps. "My favorite thing in a guy is when they're kind to their mothers," shared Dunne during the "Full Send" podcast (via Lifestyle SI). "Like if they don't have respect for their mother, then they're out the door."
Recently, the famous college gymnast implied that she was dating former LSU baseball star Paul Skenes. Fortunately for Ms. Dunne, he fits the description of a respectful son. Well, we at least know that he respects his mom's taste in fashion. According to MLB, Skenes sought out his mom's wisdom while preparing to sign his $9.2 million minor league contract with the Pirates in July. And though he was unsure if a tie adorned with a skull and crossbones would be appropriate, he took a chance on his mom's approval. "To be honest, my mom had to talk me into buying it," Skenes revealed. "I was like, 'I'm going to look like an idiot.' I actually really like it."
Paul Skenes has already made history
Olivia Dunne isn't the only one earning a bag in their sports career. Paul Skenes may have only just started his baseball journey, but he's already made it into the history books. According to CBS, Skenes is out-earning the Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson, who signed a record-making $8.4 million contract in 2020. The No. 1 Major League pick signed a massive contract for $9.2 million with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023.
According to MLB, the right-handed pitcher's first professional game, which took place on August 10, was a success. He struck out three batters with his signature fastball. As reported by the Post-Gazette, his new teammates are impressed. "He's wired differently," said Pirates pitcher Max Kranick. "I watched his outing the other day at Pirate City, and it was hands down the most dominant minor league outing I've ever seen. It was unbelievable."
Kranick also applauded Skene's inquisitiveness, saying, "Some of the questions he asks, you're like, 'Wow, that's a pretty mature question for a 21-year-old.' There's no doubt that he's gonna be [in Pittsburgh] really soon and be there for a really long time."
Skenes plans on focusing his energy on the pitcher's mound. "It was a conversation we had, which is great about the organization," he told the Post-Gazette in an earlier interview. "They're leaving it up to me. To do both is tough. I do think, to an extent, one was taking away from the other, especially when I was catching, too."
Paul Skenes may be dating Olivia Dunne
Not only is he a rising MLB star, but Paul Skenes and Olivia Dunne are totally a thing now and people to know. According to TMZ, Dunne openly attended Skenes' debut game, though they weren't pictured together. And though that could've been a coincidence, as the publication noted, Dunne has likely been hinting at their romantic bond for a while. According to the New York Post, Dunne proudly touted her attendance on her Instagram story with a mirror selfie captioned, "Go Baseball."
Of course, this all could be circumstantial evidence. Dunne has the right to support her fellow athletes without people assuming she's dating someone. However, this rumor may not be idle gossip, as Dunne seems to be enjoying shaping the dating narrative. One of the most obvious hints towards her romance with Skenes, of course, landed on her TikTok account. On August 15, Dunne reposted a TikTok video posted by a fan who seemed to run into her while she was out with Skenes.
The vid was captioned, "Walked behind a girl in shake shack thinking "she would look good with extensions" and ITS LIVVY DUNNE AND HER MLB BOYFRIEND." Given that Dunne had to have noticed the user's caption before reposting, it's clear that she's okay with people thinking she's dating a baseball star. For now, that's Skenes.