What a difference three days has made for the Blue Jays, who are suddenly riding a wave of momentum out of the All-Star break.

Sunday afternoon’s 10-0 blowout of the Rangers at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, N.Y., completed the series sweep after the Blue Jays took the first half of the doubleheader 5-0, and it was just as lopsided as the scores suggest. Add this to Friday’s news that the team will return home to Toronto on July 30 for its first game at Rogers Centre in 670 days, and this was the organization’s best weekend of the season.

“It’s huge,” said George Springer. “The goal is obviously to start well after the All-Star break. This is a big stretch for us here. On top of it, we find out that we get to go home. It’s exciting. I know there’s a certain buzz around the clubhouse right now. It’s exciting.”

Springer is one of many on the team who have never played at Rogers Centre in a Blue Jays uniform. Key contributors like he, Hyun Jin Ryu, Marcus Semien and Robbie Ray have only known life in Buffalo or Dunedin, Fla., but just as much as this weekend sweep, Springer expects that emotional upswing to help fuel Toronto in the last third of the season.

“I’ve gotten a chance to play there as a road player, and it was always a fun place to play, a great place to play,” Springer said. “I know the city is excited for us to come home. I can’t wait. I look forward to it here in a few short days.”

The Blue Jays put up 10 runs in the first two innings in Sunday’s second game, including a grand slam from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. launched his 31st home run of the season, giving him three in the series coming off his All-Star Game MVP Award, and he was joined by Springer -- who went back-to-back -- and Randal Grichuk, who had a four-RBI day.

Toronto’s talent towers over Texas’ when you compare the two rosters, but that hasn’t always mattered in 2021 as Toronto has battled injuries, poor defense and obvious bullpen issues. Sunday was an example of what the Blue Jays need to do if they’re going to make a run in the second half, though. Division battles against the Red Sox, who visit Buffalo on Monday, will be tight. The same can be said for the Yankees and Rays and any number of AL teams involved in the Wild Card chase, but while Toronto slugs it out, it’ll need to make up ground against weaker teams.

All phases of the Blue Jays’ roster clicked Sunday, and two tremendous starts from Hyun Jin Ryu and Steven Matz took pressure off the bullpen. Ryu tossed a seven-inning shutout in the early tilt, then Matz was able to find a groove with a big lead, turning in his best outing since returning from the COVID-19 IL in late June with five scoreless. The offense was obviously clicking, too, and when Toronto plays to its strengths like it did Sunday, the club plays one of the most exciting brands of baseball in the league.

We can’t measure momentum like we measure everything else in baseball, but Toronto has it. Returning home on July 30, which is also the Trade Deadline, lines up perfectly for the Blue Jays to continue riding this wave, too. They just need to keep winning.

“I’m really excited. It’s been close to two years that we haven’t been able to go to Toronto,” Ryu said through an interpreter. “I finally get an opportunity to pitch in front of the city, in front of the Toronto fans on a Toronto mound. I’m just super excited for that, and we’ve got to get prepared.”

Beating teams below them in the standings is key for the Blue Jays, but the real challenge is still ahead. Toronto faces AL East-leading Boston in seven of its next 10 games before returning to Rogers Centre, so taking four or five of those will be an important first step as August approaches on the calendar.

“We’re going into that series playing good baseball,” said manager Charlie Montoyo. “That helps. Again, Boston is having an outstanding season, but this is our chance to gain some ground. You can only do it one game at a time.”

The Blue Jays also face the Sox at home on the weekend of Aug. 6-8, so the next three weeks could flip the AL East picture dramatically. These past three days were the best start Toronto could hope for in the second half, though. A true run with a long winning streak is necessary at some point, and the team has put itself in a position to knock that off right out of the gate.