Cubs' Hottovy Details Harrowing Coronavirus Battle

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(670 The Score) Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy revealed that he had a harrowing health scare after contracting the coronavirus.

"It is important to understand that, guys, I'm 38 years old," Hottovy said on the Mully & Haugh Show on Wednesday morning. "I've been poked, prodded, tested for the last 16 years in Major League Baseball. I've had no underlying issues, nothing that would red flag me as somebody that would get hit pretty hard with this virus. But I did. My journey through this virus was not like ones you hear of younger people who are asymptomatic or only have it for a few days. I got crushed. I did have to go the hospital for a little bit of time to get checked and do all the breathing treatments."

Hottovy called the first five to six days of his battle with the coronavirus typical with fevers and the usual symptoms. Then it got much worse.

"The problem with is on day eight through 14, it crushed me," Hottovy said. "It got into my lungs. I got the full what they call the COVID pneumonia, a viral pneumonia, shortness of breath, really trouble breathing, constant fevers."

Hottovy had a fever of more than 100 degrees for six straight days. He had breathing treatment upon checking into the hospital, he said. Hottovy was treated and released from the hospital on the same day, he added.

It took Hottovy 30 days before he tested negative for the coronavirus, he said. He finally did test negative about two weeks ago. He also went through what he called a stretch of depression.

"I did everything in my power that I felt to protect myself and my family from this, and it still got me," Hottovy said.

Hottovy has shared his experience with his Cubs pitching staff and others. He believes the players understand how serious the coronavirus situation is, pointing out many of the pitchers saw how sick he was during Zoom calls. On one occasion, Hottovy hopped on a Zoom call but left it early because he couldn't speak without coughing badly.

Hottovy isolated himself in a spare bedroom in his house, and his wife, Andrea, and kids didn't contract the coronavirus, he said. He credited his wife for disinfecting and cleaning the whole house regularly for it not spreading.

The Cubs start on-field activities at Wrigley Field again Friday. Most of their players are scheduled to undergo coronavirus testing later Wednesday.