Olivia Dunne’s MLB star boyfriend Paul Skenes already has surprising career move lined up for when he eventually retires from baseball
After Paul Skenes wraps up his baseball career, which may last more than a dozen years, Olivia Dunne’s boyfriend has a surprising career plan planned.
Skenes plans to serve in the Army once his pitching days are over, aligning with the start of his college career in the Air Force.
The now Pirate phenom pitched his first two college seasons in the Air Force, where he would have been forced to graduate before serving five years in the Army.
While it was an honorable act, that would have delayed Skenes’ big league debut until 2030.
Skenes transferred to LSU after his sophomore season and led the Tigers to a College World Series title in 2023.
Skenes impressed many with his skills during two MLB starts with the Pirates last week
Skenes and Dunne have been dating for almost a year after meeting as student-athletes at LSU
And now he’s a rookie pitcher with a world of expectations on par with Stephen Strasburg and Mark Prior.
“He will serve his country in some way in the future. It’s just a matter of when.’ Air Force head coach Mike Kazlausky said USA today. Paul and I talked about that piece. We’ll get him back in the military once his professional playing days are over. It is very important for Paul to be able to serve our country.”
Skenes knew his capabilities while still training as a cadet at the Air Force Academy in Colorado.
Kazlausky told the Times-Picayune that Skenes didn’t want to leave the Air Force, but the Defense Department couldn’t come up with a good scenario for how he could turn pro after his third college season.
With the uncertainty, Skenes transferred to powerhouse LSU.
Skenes gambled on himself, and it has paid off immensely so far. In two MLB starts, Skenes has 18 strikeouts in 10 innings of work.
In his last start against the Cubs, he threw six innings of no-hit baseball and struck out eleven batters.