WASHINGTON -- The goal to win another World Series in Washington, D.C., has never wavered since 2019. As Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo assessed the team nearing Friday¡¯s Trade Deadline and he did not see championship contention on the horizon this season, the Nats made moves to best align themselves for their future.

Major, franchise-altering moves.

¡°When I took a step back and made that look, I didn't see a path to be a World Series-caliber team this year,¡± Rizzo said. ¡°So I felt it was time for us to take a step sideways to allow us to take a step forward and get back to where we're supposed to be, which is a championship-caliber organization."

? Mad Max: A stroll down Nats memory lane

The Nationals completed six transactions in less than 48 hours leading up to the 4 p.m. ET cutoff, swapping eight veterans in exchange for 12 young talents. They pulled off a historic megatrade, unloaded seven expiring contracts, maximized the return for an All-Star¡¯s remaining deal and added 10 prospects to their Top 30 Prospects list, per MLB Pipeline. Then, they regrouped and beat the Cubs, 4-3, with players eager to seize new opportunities.

? Box score

When all was said and done, right-hander Max Scherzer and shortstop Trea Turner were sent to the Dodgers for catcher Keibert Ruiz (Nats¡¯ new No. 1 prospect), righties Josiah Gray (No. 2) and Gerardo Carrillo (No. 10) and outfielder Donovan Casey (No. 27); left fielder Kyle Schwarber to the Red Sox for right-hander Aldo Ramirez (No. 11); closer Brad Hand to the Blue Jays for catcher Riley Adams (No. 13); Daniel Hudson to the Padres for righty Mason Thompson (No. 16) and infielder Jordy Barley (No. 28); catcher Yan Gomes and utility man Josh Harrison were sent to the Athletics for catcher Drew Millas (No. 24) and right-handers Richard Guasch (No. 30) and Seth Shuman, and southpaw Jon Lester was sent to the Cardinals for outfielder Lane Thomas.

The Nationals bolstered their farm system -- which was ranked 30th by MLB Pipeline at the start of this season -- without having to part ways with any of their prospects, including emerging right-hander Cade Cavalli (No. 3, No. 1 pre-trades). They also maximized their opportunity to receive value on expiring deals, and capitalized on the Dodgers¡¯ interest in acquiring Turner with multiple years remaining on his contract. Rizzo described Ruiz and Gray as ¡°big league-ready players.¡±

¡°Obviously, the players with the expiring contracts are the most tradeable players that you have, and we really like the prospect base that we amassed by trading those people,¡± Rizzo said. ¡°They were very popular on the trade market, and we're excited about what that brought us and how quickly it can help us rebuild into a championship-caliber [team] again."

As the Nats sent their veterans around the league, they kept a 22-year-old powerhouse on their roster. The picture of slugging right fielder Juan Soto as the centerpiece of the organization became even clearer. Soto can become a free agent after the 2024 season, and inking him to a lengthy contract would solidify the Nationals¡¯ foundation for their future with his newly-acquired teammates playing alongside him.

¡°I like to say we have a long-term deal with him now: it's a three-year long-term deal,¡± Rizzo said. ¡°That's a good thing, to have an excellent player on your team for three years. Obviously, Soto is a benchmark type of player. He's the core of our team, and we would be remiss if we didn't aggressively try and sign him long-term.

¡°I think it's an important part of what our plan is, and like I said, when this trading class, and the last couple of Draft classes and trading seasons come together, these people will be the core of that world championship-caliber club, with Juan Soto as our linchpin. He's as important a part of this franchise as anybody."

In the shorter term, the Nationals will be driven by players embracing their new and increased roles. On Friday, Paolo Espino improved to 3-2, starting on short notice following the Lester trade. Reliever Gabe Klobosits also made his big league debut, and Kyle Finnegan stepped in as closer for the save.

¡°I know we lost a lot of good players [and] I think moving forward, it's going to be a little tougher for sure,¡± manager Dave Martinez said pregame. ¡°But I think moving forward, we¡¯ve still got some really good pieces, and we got some young pieces that are going to help us win in the future -- and in the near future. We got to remember, we just got to get by and continue to focus on today. ¡­ Not by any means is this organization going to give in.¡±

The Nats went 1-0 following the Trade Deadline, and they intend to tally more Ws with their new approach for their future.

¡°We started this thing in 2009, way below where we're at today as far as organizationally, and it took us three years to win 98 games,¡± Rizzo said. ¡°We have a great plan in place. We got great people out in the field, scouting and developing our players. We've got a great Major League staff and a good stable of players that are going to impact the big leagues in the near future. So you never put a timetable on it. I'm a restless person and I don't like to lose, and we're not going to put up with losing for too long."