Blue Jays: When a Dragon Launches Another Attack

The Blue Jays have been struggling to generate offense lately. That could sink the team's playoff hopes.

So the team is doing everything it can to stay afloat.

Yesterday, for example, when Jonatan Clase hit his first home run of the season, he received the July 1 home run jacket—the red one.

But most importantly, he received a stuffed animal. We're talking about a dragon.

Cody Atkinson, who is the assistant hitting coach in town, stopped by a toy store in San Francisco to buy a few dragons, including the famous stuffed toy.

Why a dragon? Because it's fearless. And that's the mindset Toronto's hitters need to have in the batter's box.

It worked—last night, the guys scored eight runs in the first three innings of the game. It ended 9-3.

Paying $70 for that made Atkinson happy—he would have paid thousands of dollars to get the Giants' starter out of the game in less than three innings.

Atkinson was asked if he had bought it for his kids. He replied that, in fact, it was for the Toronto Blue Jays.

So it's become the new darling of the town. We don't know the dragon's name yet, but that will be decided soon.

George Springer has several ideas, apparently.

Let's see if the Blue Jays' dragon can generate some offense. Because if it works, it'll be the team's MVP.

• Willson Contreras wants to compete in the Home Run Derby.

• Shohei Ohtani is not expected to pitch in the All-Star Game or participate in the Home Run Derby. He will be the starting designated hitter for the National League.

• Max Fried will face batters on Saturday.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.