May 10th is Mother's Day. For professional baseball players, it's a day to renew their gratitude. Nippon-Ham Fighters pitcher Taisei Yanagawa (22) expressed his gratitude to his mother, Harue, and reflected on memories and the words that have supported him.

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My mother is an incredibly kind person. During the day, she works as a care worker, and at night, she helps my father at "Yakiniku no Eki Motoyama," a yakiniku restaurant run by the family in our hometown of Hiji-machi, Oita Prefecture. I am filled with gratitude for my mother, who works tirelessly for our family.

During my middle school years, I often argued with my mother over trivial things. I was a laid-back person, and she would often scold me for not getting ready in the morning, which would lead to arguments. When I went to high school, I started living in a dormitory at Kyushu International University High School in Fukuoka. We even had a fight when I left home to move into the dormitory. Later, I received a letter from my mother saying, "Do your best baseball. I'm cheering for you," and I still remember how emotional I was. It was a moment when I truly realized how important my mother was to me after leaving home.

In the professional world, I'm entrusted with the role of closer. I feel that my mother's teachings are still relevant in teaching me the importance of preparing by working backward from the game's progress. I'm very happy that people come all the way from Oita to support Escon, even though they're busy with work and running their shops. From now on, I'll do my best to show them my success and repay their kindness in many ways.