It took until his eighth game as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, but outfielder Max Kepler finally delivered his first big-impact swing (or two) for his new club on Monday night. In the first inning, with runners at first and second against the San Diego Padres, Kepler took a controlled, confident swing and slapped a 95 MPH line drive single to left field, scoring Arizona's second run of the game. But the left-handed hitting veteran wouldn't be done there. As Arizona continued to put up traffic against Padres starter Walker Buehler, Kepler came up in the third inning, with runners once again at first and second. He saw a first-pitch four-seam fastball middle-in, and hammered it deep to right field for a three-run homer. It was a no-doubter, traveling nearly 107 MPH off the bat, 417 feet deep to right field. Though certainly not the only big swing of the game, Kepler's blast doubled Arizona's lead from three to six. In total, he contributed four of the D-backs' eight runs in their 8-0 victory over San Diego. The power that was expected from the veteran outfielder has finally arrived, and the Diamondbacks could desperately need some level of consistent production in that department. A one-year gamble of a flier might end up paying off, after all. Max Kepler takes big swing for DiamondbacksJun 30, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Max Kepler in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectKepler likely won't be the cure-all for Arizona's struggling offense. After all, the terms of his 80-game suspension for PED usage will prevent him from being placed on the D-backs' postseason roster, should they get there. But the Diamondbacks have needed a spark for some time, particularly in the form of legitimate raw power from the left-handed batter's box. Though switch-hitters like Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo and Ildemaro Vargas — as well as the lefy-hitting Corbin Carroll — have provided production batting left-handed, there has been a clear need for a southpaw power bat like Kepler. Pavin Smith and Adrian Del Castillo have struggled to produce, and the D-backs have had a tougher time with right-handed pitchers than left-handers.It was that very need that gave a rationale for signing Kepler to a one-year free agent contract, despite his suspension and relative lack of recent offensive numbers. So it's encouraging to see Kepler tap into his slug to such a degree. He's hovered near or surpassed the 20-homer mark numerous times in his 12-year major league career, and offers a bit more of a veteran approach than what the D-backs might be able to get out of some of their younger, rookie hitters.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow