Olivia Dunne has posted a lighthearted video on her Instagram story, humorously claiming responsibility for one of Paul Skenes‘ most talked-about pitches – a devastating cutter against the Baltimore Orioles that had fans buzzing.
Dunne, never one to miss a chance to inject humor into her social media presence, jokingly captioned her post: “I taught him that.”
What started as a simple Instagram story quickly turned into a viral sensation. Fans couldn’t get enough of Dunne‘s cheeky humor, with many applauding her for playfully taking credit for Skenes’ sharp-breaking pitch.
While the 23-year-old flamethrower has spent countless hours honing his craft, Dunne‘s post highlighted a different side of an athlete’s success-the support system behind the scenes.
Though it’s unclear whether she actually gave him pitching tips, one thing is certain: the dynamic between Dunne and Skenes is as entertaining as Skenes‘ performance on the mound.
Their playful banter and public support for each other make them one of sports’ most adored couples, and fans are loving every minute of it.
Skenes makes a statement
While Dunne‘s Instagram post was all in good fun, Skenes‘ first outing of the 2025 season was a serious showcase of talent. Taking the mound at Ed Smith Stadium against the Baltimore Orioles, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year proved why he’s one of the most exciting young pitchers in baseball.
Despite some early challenges-walking a batter and giving up a hard single to Adley Rutschman-Skenes quickly settled in, striking out two consecutive batters to end the first inning. His only error came from an errant throw that led to a run, but overall, his debut was an exciting preview of what’s to come.
Reflecting on his performance, Skenes spoke about his continued development of new pitches, including his newly added cutter and two-seam fastball.
“I thought it was pretty good,” he said. “It’s kind of just what happens, body speeds when you get in the game. That can either make your misses smaller or bigger, and I think there were both at times today.”
Read the full article here
