HOUSTON -- Decision time looms again for the Rangers on a struggling reliever.

Two weeks ago, it was Sam Dyson. Now: Tony Barnette.

Barnette failed to record an out in the horrific sixth inning Tuesday, allowing all four runners he faced to reach base in the Rangers' 13-2 loss to Houston.

It pushed his season ERA to 7.23. Over the last six weeks, things have gotten progressively worse. He has a 9.19 ERA since May 1 and has allowed opponents a .984 OPS. He has allowed runs in each of his last four outings.

Over the weekend, the Rangers will start to activate a string of players. To do so, they will have to make room on the roster. Barnette, who has minor league options remaining, could be in jeopardy of losing his spot. When the Rangers designated Dyson for assignment two weeks ago and then traded him to San Francisco, they did so because he had no minor league options remaining.

"It's been a challenge for him and this was the most challenging night we've seen for him in the year-plus that we've had him," manager Jeff Banister said. "We haven't seen him miss as consistently as he did tonight. I'm sure he's fighting himself a little bit right now. He was just incapable [Wednesday] of executing pitches."

Barnette entered in the sixth after Jeremy Jeffress had already started to make a mess of things by allowing back-to-back homers by the bottom two hitters in the order, then allowing two more batters to reach.

Barnette walked Carlos Correa to load the bases, then lost a 10-pitch battle with Carlos Beltran, surrendering a walk on a ball that bounced three feet in front of the plate. Brian McCann and Marwin Gonzalez each followed with singles, the latter driving in two runs, before Banister removed Barnette.