BRADENTON, Fla. — Before the meme, there was the announcement. Here was Paul Skenes, live on MLB Network. Cal Ripken Jr., the Hall of Fame shortstop, set the scene: The winner of the 2024 National League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year is … Paul Skenes.
The camera cut to Skenes and his girlfriend, the gymnast and influencer Olivia Dunne, on a brown leather couch. Dunne, clad in a red dress, smiles, claps and places her hand on Skenes’ shoulder. Congratulations. She’s ecstatic. Skenes, wearing a gray suit jacket and white dress shirt, sat there.