Olivia Dunne’s Yankee Stadium outfit fuels Paul Skenes speculation

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Olivia Dunne arrived at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday ready to support Paul Skenes, even though the Pittsburgh Pirates ace was not scheduled to pitch during the team’s doubleheader against the New York Yankees.

The former LSU gymnast and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model shared pictures from the Bronx showing off an outfit that included a black top, denim shorts and black boots. The most notable part of the look was featured on the boots, which displayed Skenes’ name and No. 30.

It was another public show of support from Dunne, who has traveled around the country to watch Skenes pitch throughout the 2026 season. However, the location of Wednesday’s appearance helped create a much bigger conversation.

Dunne’s visit to Yankee Stadium came after the New York Post reported that she had been looking at a New York City apartment once owned by Yankees legend Babe Ruth. That news immediately led some fans to wonder whether her interest in the property could somehow be connected to Skenes’ baseball future.

Skenes has already pushed back against that theory.

“That’s probably reading a little deeper into it than what is true,” Skenes said, according to The Spun. “If you’re a baseball fan, you’re probably a Babe Ruth fan.”

Olivia Dunne proudly represented Paul Skenes in the Bronx

Skenes did not need to take the mound for Dunne to make him part of her Yankee Stadium appearance.

The customized boots ensured the Pirates star was represented throughout the day. Dunne shared several pictures from inside the ballpark, including a close look at the footwear featuring her boyfriend’s last name and jersey number.

Her appearance came only one week after the couple attracted plenty of attention together at the MLB All-Star Game. Dunne and Skenes posed on the red carpet before the event, continuing a busy stretch in which the two have become one of baseball’s most recognizable couples.

Their relationship began during their time at LSU, where Dunne competed for the gymnastics program and Skenes helped lead the Tigers to the 2023 College World Series championship.

Skenes was then selected by Pittsburgh with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. His rapid rise has since made him one of the biggest stars in the sport.

The three-time All-Star and reigning Cy Young Award winner entered Wednesday with a 9-8 record, 3.43 ERA and 138 strikeouts this season.

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Could Paul Skenes eventually join the Yankees?

Dunne’s reported interest in a former Babe Ruth apartment makes for an entertaining connection, but it does not offer any legitimate indication that Skenes is preparing to join the Yankees. Pittsburgh controls his contractual rights through the 2029 season. The Pirates would have no immediate reason to move a young ace who has already become the face of their franchise.

That reality has not completely stopped the speculation. The Yankees are routinely connected to baseball’s biggest stars, especially when questions emerge about whether a smaller-market team will eventually be able to retain a player approaching free agency. Skenes would naturally become a dream target if the Pirates ever made him available.

There is no evidence that such a move is close. Skenes’ explanation also makes sense. Babe Ruth remains one of the most iconic players in baseball history, and Dunne’s reported interest in a property once connected to him does not require a hidden baseball motive.

Her outfit offered a much clearer statement about where her loyalty currently stands. Dunne walked into the home of the Yankees wearing boots decorated with the name and number of Pittsburgh’s ace. That might not completely silence fans imagining Skenes in pinstripes, but it should keep the focus on the present.

For now, Dunne is supporting No. 30, and Skenes is still very much a Pirate.