MINNEAPOLIS -- As part of Major League Baseball's "Childhood Cancer Awareness Day" initiative on Friday, the Twins hosted a special on-field pregame ceremony with representatives of the Children's Cancer Research Fund that celebrated three pediatric cancer survivors and their families.
For the Twins, Friday's ceremony is part of their larger efforts to recognize Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month in September, which will also involve player visits to local hospitals.
"These visits to hospitals or whatever things like that I can do, being in the position that we're in, we're able to do things like that to give back to the community," Twins pitcher Pat Dean said. "It's a great opportunity for us to do whatever we can to help. It's just amazing to see the smile that we put on these kids' faces when we go visit."
As part of the pregame ceremony, a $4.5 million check was presented to the University of Minnesota in the name of children's cancer research. The Children's Cancer Research Fund partners with the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital.
The Twins also wore gold ribbon decals and wristbands as part of a league-wide effort and also laced their cleats with special gold shoelaces. They took batting practice and signed autographs pregame in "Go Gold for Childhood Cancer Awareness" T-shirts.
Boshers activated
Left-handed reliever Buddy Boshers was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list before Friday's game following the completion of his rehab assignment in Triple-A Rochester.
Boshers wasn't available out of the bullpen for Friday's game against the White Sox after he threw 36 pitches for Rochester on Thursday in 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. He struggled with his control in that outing, walking three batters while striking out three, but that didn't concern Twins manager Paul Molitor too much.
"The reports said he was good for the most part," Molitor said. "His fastball command was pretty good. Some of the other stuff, not as sharp as it was the first night he was out there. Not unexpected. We'll get him back out there when he's ready to help us again."
Boshers, 28, made two relief appearances for Rochester and pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings. He had missed 20 games with left elbow inflammation and was placed on the disabled list on Aug. 11.
The left-hander is 2-0 with a 5.84 ERA in 24 appearances out of the bullpen for the Twins this season.