The Houston Astros were on the verge of sweeping the Angels over the weekend until their bullpen issues struck again. Ryan Pressly was unable to hold a two-run lead in the eighth inning, allowing the game to be tied 7-7.

Things went from bad to worse in the ninth inning, when Josh Hader allowed a 2-run homer, which won the game for the Angels.

Despite Hader's performance on Sunday, he's been good this season overall, but Pressly is a different story. He's allowed runs in three of his last six outings, and sports a 0-3 record with a 5.40 ERA.

A quick look at the post below shows Pressly already has five blown saves this season. Manager Joe Espada said after the game that Pressly's role would not change. But one has to wonder how much longer the team can continue to run Pressly out there with the game hanging in the balance.

The time is now

The Astros' schedule is very favorable right now. If there was ever a time to dig out of the hole they're in, this is it. They have to find a way to stack wins against the Giants, Tigers, and White Sox. If they don't, it's hard to see them being buyers at the trade deadline, which is their intention according to GM Dana Brown.

Be sure to watch the video above as we discuss the Astros' bullpen woes, and examine some options the club could turn to if the issues persist.

Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo discuss varied Astros topics. The first post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon (second part released Tuesday) via The SportsMap HOU YouTube channel or listen to episodes in their entirety at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.