Paul Skenes Looks Uninterested In Winning The NL Rookie Of The Year Award, But Olivia Dunne Was Hyped

What would you do if you found out you were named the rookie of the year in the MLB?

I know if it were me, I’d jump around and scream so my neighbors could hear me. Bottles, tvs, and probably at least one bone would be broken from all the rambunctious and reckless celebrating I’d do.

But Paul Skenes took a far, far more measured approach to the announcement. 

Cal Ripken Jr. announced on live TV that Skenes won the Jackie Robinson National League Rookie of the Year, and the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher was at home with his girlfriend, Olivia Dunne. As soon as they both heard the news, Skenes smiled and seemed pleased. Dunne, however, was over the moon, and more than made up for the excitement that her boyfriend seemed not to express.

Again, I don’t quite get the logic behind Skenes’ reaction. Maybe he was already convinced that he was going to win the award, and therefore the reward wasn’t going to come as much of a surprise. I mean, pretty much every MLB fan knew from early spring that as long as Skenes stayed healthy, he'd probably take home the hardware. His 11-3 record, 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts helped make that a reality.

But still, this is a big deal, and Skenes has never been shy about sharing his emotions during games. It’s good that he can take solace in the fact that if there’s ever a time when he doesn’t feel like celebrating a milestone, Dunne will bring excitement for both of them.

And apparently, delicious desserts in the process.