The shorthand synopsis of the Royals’ 4-3 win over Cleveland on Saturday at Kauffman Stadium will be Bobby Witt Jr.’s game-winning double in the seventh inning — a breakthrough of sorts after he’d mustered just one hit in his first eight at-bats of the season.

If the 2024 American League MVP runner-up wasn’t quite pressing yet, manager Matt Quatraro still figured he’d lighten it up by later joking with Witt that he knew “you were going to get an RBI this year.”

No doubt there’s plenty more to come from the most vital part of the franchise’s present and future.

But the Royals won this game for myriad revealing reasons.

Starting with impeccably clean play that was in sharp contrast to the opening day loss underscored by a pivotal baserunning blunder, plus subpar moments in right field from Hunter Renfroe.

Like Witt’s big hit, most of those factors were the very sorts of things you might expect.

Such as Sal Perez knocking in two runs and throwing out two runners. And the bullpen furnished four innings of one-hit, scoreless ball thanks to two bridge innings from Daniel Lynch to the apparent two-headed monster of Lucas Erceg and Carlos Estevez.

Then there was leadoff man Jonathan India, who went 2-for-3 with a walk and scored after he singled on the 11th pitch of his second at-bat. He also made a nice sliding catch in his first career game in left field, all earning him the post-game dousing from teammates still best known as the Salvy Splash even when administered by others.

“I didn’t know we did that,” India, who previously played for Cincinnati, said with a smile afterward.

But maybe the most encouraging development was an X-factor that the Royals figure to need if they’re going to return to the postseason and/or advance further:

Production from the iffy 6-9 spots in the order — and players that aren’t entrenched in the daily lineup.

That was delivered most resoundingly Saturday through third baseman Maikel Garcia’s game-tying, bat-flipping 405-foot home run off the left-field foul pole.

“We needed that in that moment,” India said. “It felt like the game was kind of just staying in that spot.”

A batter later, No. 7 hitter Cavan Biggio singled and pinch-runner Dairon Blanco stole second and scored on Witt’s double.

When I asked Quatraro afterward about how indicative Garcia’s home run was of the need for the Royals to get results from 6-9 or 5-9, he playfully interrupted and said, “One through nine.”

“That’s the thing, though, I really believe that,” he said. “You need to have production up and down. You have to be a consistent lineup. … We can’t rely on it being one or two guys.”

And they won’t be doing that — in more ways than one.

Philosophically, Quatraro believes it’s vital to use his bench — from where Garcia began on opening day after starting 142 games (including 111 at third) a year ago.

It’s not only a way to best apply data with matchups and such but also a matter of engagement and morale.

“I have a belief that these guys are all major league players and they deserve to play, right?” he said when I asked about that approach at the Royals Rally in February. “And if you want somebody that’s on your bench to be productive, when you go in there and they’ve been sitting for two-plus weeks, that’s not putting your players in the best position to succeed.

“And the other thing is, with the evolution of analytics and understanding why certain guys match up better than others, that is putting your players in the best position to succeed.”

Being true to that is part of why Quatraro can get buy-in from individual players willing to accept roles.

Even if the roles aren’t exactly what the player wanted.

“It’s not easy,” Garcia said.

Including not necessarily starting day-to-day after becoming accustomed to that and learning outfield this spring to be able to back up Kyle Isbel in center.

But Garcia is learning to focus on how he can contribute in multiple ways, he said, and controlling what he can control.

Like he did with an easy-swing homer (just hoping to get on and maybe steal a base) that catalyzed the team and galvanized the crowd of 22,019.

He also had a single, leaving him 3-for-6 in two games after coming off the bench in the opener.

Incredibly small sample size, to be sure.

But so far, anyway, he’s seizing the moment as the Royals try to work a bit of a Rubik’s Cube to sort out optimal scenarios that currently include India playing left, third or second, Michael Massey at second or in left and MJ Melendez in left or right.

And Garcia at third, short, second or in center.

Wherever he might be, he’s exhibiting that he has a chance to be part of the solution to a vortex at the bottom of the order that the Royals could ill-afford.

“Maikel’s growing up right in front of our eyes,” said Quatraro, indicating once more that Garcia will have ample opportunity to entrench himself. “If it’s not 650 plate appearances, it’s still going to be meaningful. It’s not like he’s going to play once a week. He’s going to play five, six times a week, every week.

“So good for him to put himself in that right frame of mind. And hopefully he plays himself into playing every day the rest of his career.”

Starting with becoming a less-obvious reason the Royals can build on last season.