Ortega was born in
Gilbert, Arizona and graduated from
Mesa High School in 1959.{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=ortegph01|title=Phil Ortega Stats In he logged a full season in the majors, working in 34 games for Los Angeles and making 25 starts. He won seven of 16
decisions but showed promise with four
complete games and three
shutouts, including a
three-hitter against the contending
Cincinnati Reds on August 23. But the Dodgers slumped to the
second division and, in search of pitching help, included Ortega in a blockbuster December 4, 1964, seven-player trade with the Washington Senators which saw Los Angeles obtain veteran left-hander
Claude Osteen for slugger
Frank Howard.
Managed by former Dodger teammate
Gil Hodges, Ortega took a regular turn in the Senators' rotation, with 94 starting appearances over his first three seasons, including the
1965 "Presidential Opener". His best campaign came in , when he set career highs in games started (34),
innings pitched (219),
strikeouts (122) and
earned run average (3.03). But his performance declined in with only five wins in 17 decisions and a poor 4.98 earned run average, and Ortega's contract was sold to the California Angels just prior to the season. The Angels used him in five games in
relief during the campaign's early weeks, then sent him to the minors, where he pitched for the rest of his pro career, retiring in 1972. During his ten-year MLB career, Ortega compiled 46
wins (against 62 defeats), 20 complete games, nine shutouts, 549
strikeouts, and a 4.43
earned run average. In 951 innings pitched, he permitted 884 hits and 378
bases on balls. ==References==