This story was excerpted from Scott Merkin’s White Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CHICAGO -- Andrew Vaughn was worn out by September 2021, and that fatigue was understandable.

I personally feel tired by the end of a season, and I’m not tracking down fly balls in the outfield, trying to score from first on a double or attempting to figure out elite opposing hurlers on a nightly basis. Vaughn also was enduring a 162-game season for the first time in his career, and he finished 4-for-42 in the final month, with no extra-base hits, four RBIs and two runs scored. 

Vaughn was determined to not let that situation repeat itself.

“I’m more prepared. Definitely,” Vaughn told MLB.com after the White Sox sweep of the Tigers last weekend. “Knowing last year that I kind of broke down at the end, just preparing my body, getting in the weight room at the right times. All that good stuff.”

During the offseason, Vaughn focused on endurance training, including riding a bike, running, stretching and staying generally mobile. He notices a difference. Playing the outfield for the first time in 2021, a role put upon him during the last week of Spring Training after Eloy Jiménez ruptured his left biceps tendon, also added unknown stress to Vaughn’s workload and knocked him down a bit in September.

“I was frustrated,” Vaughn said. “I was really frustrated, and I just told myself this offseason I want to be ready for all of it. I feel good.”

“That’s the first thing a young guy learns, as opposed to college and Minor Leagues,” White Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “April until September, and if you get to October, it’s a short offseason. I think he does a good job taking care of himself. I’m sure he’ll learn.”

Entering the second bout of a crucial four-game home series against the Astros, Vaughn was slashing .300/.349/.475. His 58 RBIs topped the team, and his 13 home runs ranked second behind José Abreu.

Many pundits consider Vaughn the White Sox most complete offensive force, with his ability to hit for average and power and work an at-bat. And Vaughn takes satisfaction in being more prepared for consistent hitting across a long season.

“The biggest thing is [to] be a hitter first,” Vaughn said. “We got some boppers on this team. If I get on base, they can drive me in. If they get on base, I can drive them in staying simple and staying with my stuff.

“Being a hitter, the power comes. This game is about the homer now, but we just have to string stuff together and get wins no matter how we can.”