SAN FRANCISCO — George Springer bolted down the dugout steps. He ran back to the Toronto Blue Jays’ batting cage, feverishly searching as Jonatan Clase circled the bases and returned for high fives after a home run.Eventually, Springer emerged from the tunnel with one of the most bizarre objects that’s ever appeared in the Jays’ dugout: A red and yellow stuffed dragon stuck on a long golden stick.“I heard dragons breathe fire,” Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said. “So the first time we took him out, we got on fire.”
INTRODUCING:
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) July 8, 2026The dragon, purchased at a Just For Fun toy store near the Jays’ hotel in San Francisco, is the team’s newest mascot and home-run celebration accessory. It sparked a nine-run outburst in the Jays’ slump-busting 9-3 win over the Giants on Tuesday.It’s meant to embody fearlessness, assistant hitting coach Cody Atkinson said, and Toronto’s goal of being the hunter, not the hunted, on offence. It’s an identity they’ve strayed from amid recent struggles.“I think lately the way that we’ve been being pitched,” Atkinson said, “we watched that guy on the mound and he’s not afraid, and so we wanted to take that back a little bit.”We’ve reached the “try something weird” portion of the 2026 campaign. The Jays (43-49) scored three runs in their last four games before Tuesday. They fell seven games under .500 and have been trying to get hitters to target good pitches all season. The lineup just hasn’t clicked, sitting 27th in runs scored, so after a frustrating 10-1 loss Monday, David Popkins and Toronto’s hitting coaches decided they needed to do something. On the way to Tuesday’s game, Atkinson was sent to the toy store. And so far, the dragon is undefeated.Atkinson, who joined Toronto’s MLB staff this year, was at the store sending photos of different options to Popkins and Lou Iannotti hours before the game. They considered a sword and a set of wolf toys before landing on the mythical fire-breathing beast.
