Last season, Matt Carpenter hit .318 with an MLB-leading 55 doubles. He's on pace for significantly less than that this season.
But a 10-game hitting streak in which he's batting .356 (16 for 45) with five doubles -- or almost half his season total -- is a definite step in the right direction.
His four walks during that stretch may be as well. Yeah, he was walking at a higher rate earlier this season, which is typically a good thing, but clearly, it had an adverse effect on his numbers. He was overly selective, taking a higher percentage of pitches than any player in the majors, and the strikeouts began to pile up as a result. During this 10-game streak, he has just seven strikeouts, which is much closer to the rate he had last season.
Really, it's been going on all of May. The hitting streak simply brought it into focus. Carpenter is back in his comfort zone as far as selectivity goes, and the doubles are coming as a result. Now would not be the time to sell him short.