Paul Skenes, channeling Olivia Dunne, aims to be the Pirates’ version of Ohtani
Paul Skenes has implored the coaches of the Pittsburgh Pirates to let him develop into their own Shohei Ohtani, the MLB star.
Against the Chicago Cubs over the weekend, Skenes made only his first start for the MLB team, proving once and for all why he was chosen with the first overall choice in the 2023 MLB Draft.
However, after experiencing his first taste of professional activity, the rookie pitcher is already voicing his desires in an attempt to reach his full potential.
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The 21-year-old, who is presently in a relationship with Olivia Dunne, a gymnast at LSU, is accepting of his “diva” image by informing his coaches that, like Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers, he can play both catcher and designated hitter.
“I’ve been on this for a while. I’ve was trying to tell our manager in Triple-A how good I was at catcher, and he doesn’t believe me,” During a Tuesday appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Skenes claimed.
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“I think I can [do it]. Nobody ever believes me when I tell them that I was a catcher, but I think I miss that just as much as I miss hitting.”
Is Paul Skenes going to be as good as Shohei Otani?
The gifted prospect rose fast through the minor league systems to make his debut in Pittsburgh this past weekend. He has already had success at every stage.
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He gave up three runs in four innings while striking out seven Chicago hitters, so even if he didn’t finish up winning in his debut, his performance was encouraging enough. He repeatedly reached triple digits on the radar gun, which was enough to get the Pirates excited about their rookie class.
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Of course, in terms of net worth and impact on the field, he is a long way from matching Ohtani’s figures, so it might be wise for him to remain grounded during his MLB rookie season.
