The Phillies gave themselves a chance to escape Atlanta, then watched their season unravel Thursday night. After a 6-2 loss in the deciding game of the NL Wild Card Series, manager Don Mattingly and shortstop Trea Turner deserve some of the toughest questions.

Mattingly’s decision to start Aaron Nola over Zack Wheeler immediately backfired. Nola surrendered a three-run homer to Michael Harris II in the first inning, putting Philadelphia in a hole before its offense had much opportunity to settle into the game.

Wheeler would have been pitching on three days’ rest, so choosing the fresher starter had a reasonable explanation. But Wheeler ultimately pitched anyway, leaving an uncomfortable question: If Philadelphia trusted him to help save its season in relief, why not give him the first opportunity to control the game?

That was the concern raised in my preview of the pitching decision. In an elimination game, Wheeler was the arm I would have trusted most. I saw this coming hours before the game even started.

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There is a necessary caveat. Wheeler also surrendered a two-run homer to Ozzie Albies, so his appearance hardly proves that starting him would have produced a different result. Still, by the time he entered, Philadelphia was already chasing Atlanta, and Mattingly’s preferred starter had failed to establish the tone the team needed.

Turner’s performance left another significant void. He finished the series 1-for-11, with a double and a run scored, offering far too little production for a player expected to help drive this lineup. His sacrifice fly Thursday supplied an RBI, but Philadelphia trailed 6-1 when he stepped to the plate in the eighth. It trimmed the deficit without meaningfully changing the direction of the game.

Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and Alec Bohm delivered crucial swings to keep the season alive in Game 2. Brandon Marsh also contributed during the series. Turner needed to give that group more support, particularly when opportunities to score became scarce.

One productive series from Turner would not have guaranteed a trip to Los Angeles. Neither would a Wheeler start. But Philadelphia needed better decisions and stronger production in its biggest moments, and these two shortcomings stand out as reasons the Braves are advancing while the Phillies head home.