The Pittsburgh Pirates produced one of the standout moments of MLB award week Wednesday as Pirates pitching history was made when Paul Skenes unanimously won the 2025 NL Cy Young Award. The Pirates saw its young ace celebrate with an emotion rarely tied to his past, and the celebration with longtime girlfriend Olivia Dunne pushed the scene across the league in minutes.

Skenes earned a unanimous 2025 NL Cy Young after a season built on elite command and overpowering strikeout totals. His 1.97 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and steady workload placed him near or at the top of every major category, establishing him as a force in the NL Cy Young race from the first month. Even with a modest win total due to limited run support, his case became nearly unbeatable as the season closed.

FOX Sports: MLB took to its X, (formerly known as Twitter) account, posting a comparison that highlighted how different his reactions were between his Rookie of the Year moment and this Cy Young achievement. The account paired his calm 2024 response with his lively 2025 celebration, setting up the main clip.

“Paul Skenes had a much bigger reaction to winning an award this year 😂”

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In the video, he broke into a wide smile, hugged Dunne, and then turned toward his family as cheers grew. Dunne, arguably the most famous female figure from the NIL era so far, brought an extra surge of energy that helped the post reach hundreds of thousands of views within hours.

Pirates pitching history added another milestone as he joined Vernon Law and Doug Drabek as the only pitchers in franchise history to win the award. Drabek even announced the honor live, offering a symbolic handoff from one ace to another. The 23-year-old and former LSU Tigers standout entered that exclusive group with a season that firmly cemented him as the franchise’s newest anchor.

The continued rise of the right-handed flamethrower positions the Pirates for a brighter path ahead as momentum builds around his leadership.