The trade deadline arrives at 5 p.m. Monday, and the Texas Rangers, swept out of first place by the Astros, have some decisions to make.

HOUSTON — The weekend that could have been a boon for the Texas Rangers instead turned into an unmitigated disaster at Daikin Park, a three-game sweep by the Astros that culminated Sunday with a 7-3 loss.

The Rangers were knocked out of first place in the American League West on Friday, out of a playoff spot Saturday, and their performance might have convinced the front office not to expend any further prospect or financial capital before the trade deadline on a team that is 55-57.

In any other season, one with at least one good team in the division, the Rangers wouldn’t be considering additions. Their roster might have already been plucked over by real contenders.

Yes, the Rangers are still contenders. Current trends, though, suggest that adding players is not the prudent move for a franchise short on prospects and with an ownership group unwilling to spend money like a team in the country’s fourth-largest market should.

President of baseball operations Chris Young has pulled the trade trigger the past two seasons on teams in worse standing than the Rangers, but standing pat or even trading away some players might now be the Rangers’ best plan ahead of the 5 p.m. Monday deadline.

“I do feel confident that the guys that we have right now have the chance to still win the division,” manager Skip Schumaker said. “When you’re in this position, this spot, I mean, we’re right there. So how could I not say that? It’s not BS because we are right here.”

The buy-stay-sell question might have been answered Saturday, when Jacob deGrom allowed five runs in only 3 1/3 innings the day after Nathan Eovaldi allowed six runs in five innings. The Rangers’ top two starters have been inconsistent and are pitching through various ailments.

The Rangers would have trouble winning the division or advancing in the postseason without their aces at their best. That would put more of a toll on the bullpen, which faltered again Sunday in a four-run seventh that broke a 3-all tie.

While the Rangers added Chase Silseth on Wednesday, they need more than one arm to fix the bullpen. They also need a righty-hitting outfielder, the shortage of which showed itself Saturday.

The defense was an issue in the series, not with errors in the linescore but plays that weren’t made. Even the umpires’ calls had an Astros tilt to them, including a called third strike Sunday in the seventh that squelched a Rangers rally and led to Schumaker and hitting coach Justin Viele getting ejected.

“That’s a big call you’ve got to get right,” he said.

If the Rangers decide to trade players, the list could begin with Joc Pederson. He leads the team in home runs and was the Rangers Player of the Month for July, but the Rangers could get some $6 million off the books by trading him.

Any player on an expiring contract could become a trade option should the Rangers take that route. They have also received interest in left-hander MacKenzie Gore, who is under club control through next season.

It might be hard to find a suitor for Corey Seager, deGrom or Eovaldi, who come with hefty contracts and medical concerns. The latter two also have full no-trade provisions.

But everything is on the table after a 1-5 road trip and a disastrous weekend in Houston.

“This road trip just wasn’t how we thought it would go,” Schumaker said.

_{Jeff Wilson, jwilson@alldlls.com}