No longer content with stymieing National League hitters, Pittsburgh Pirates rookie ace Paul Skenes has found a new arena to disrupt: the betting market.
After starting the season in the minors, the 22-year-old called up in May has emerged as such an overwhelming favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year honors that at least one sportsbook has taken that option off the board.
“I closed the book after yesterday,” said SuperBook baseball oddsmaker Randy Blum. He told ESPN of LSU product and boyfriend of Instagram influencer Olivia Dunne.
As Blum explained, he was willing to move Skenes from a -500 favorite to an unthinkable -1000 until he decided it just wasn’t worth it.
“Unless he gets injured, he’s a sure thing,” Blum said. “He’s that good from what we’ve seen so far.”
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes throws a pitch against the Mets on July 5.
Skenes and his girlfriend Olivia Dunne, a former LSU gymnast, are seen sailing in Pittsburgh
And Skenes may not be done there.
Now that he has secured a starting job for Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas, Skenes is threatening to become the first rookie to win the National League Cy Young Award since 20-year-old Fernando Valenzuela did it with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1980.
With a 6-0 record and a minuscule 1.90 earned run average while allowing just 0.92 walks and hits per inning (WHIP), Skenes’ odds of winning the Cy Young increased from +3000 to +650 the day after he was named an All-Star starting pitcher.
According to oddsmakers, Skenes now trails only Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler (+160) and Atlanta Braves starter Chris Sale (+165) in the NL Cy Young race.
Patrick Jay, senior vice president and head of sportsbook for ESPN BET, says the dramatic shift in Skenes’ favor is a product of his All-Star nomination, the news that he would be the National League’s starting pitcher and several recent dominant performances.
Skenes and Dunne are seen floating in Pittsburgh’s PNC Park on the Allegheny River.
Although Skenes has avoided social media, his girlfriend is one of the most popular on IG.
Dunne is seen floating under the Rachel Carson Bridge in Pittsburgh during a recent day off.
For example, Skenes went seven hitless innings with 11 strikeouts in the Pirates’ 1-0 win over Milwaukee on Thursday and had a chance to record his first no-hitter until he was pulled by Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton.
Dunne expressed frustration over Shelton’s decision, but acknowledged it’s all part of a larger plan to preserve Skenes’ right arm for the long term.
“You know what, it would have been a great accolade to say you threw a no-hitter in your rookie year,” he told Sports Illustrated. “But you’ve got to make that arm last a long time, too, so I don’t blame them.”
And while Shelton tries to protect Skenes from injuries, even he has to marvel at the incredible accomplishments the California native has achieved in recent months.
For example, Skenes has now allowed two runs or fewer in nine of his 11 major league starts.
“I don’t think anybody thinks that when you get to the big leagues it’s going to be like this,” Shelton said afterward.
