He made his major league debut at age 21 on August 6, 1960, as the host Cardinals defeated the Cincinnati Reds 6–5. In his first career at-bat, pinch-hitting for pitcher Ed Bauta in the sixth inning, he singled off Cincinnati southpaw Joe Nuxhall for his first big-league hit.^[1]

Gotay had his most productive season for the Cardinals in 1962. He started 105 games at shortstop and batted .255 with two home runs, 12 doubles and 27 runs batted in in 406 plate appearances. But on November 19, he was sent to the Pirates in a four-player trade that brought veteran shortstop and 1960 National League Most Valuable Player Dick Groat to St. Louis. Groat would help lead the Cardinals to a second-place finish in 1963 and the 1964 World Championship and start at shortstop on the 1963 and 1964 National League All-Star teams.

Meanwhile, Gotay could not beat out Ducky Schofield for the Pirates' shortstop job in 1963 and was sent to Triple-A. He would appear in only seven games for Pittsburgh during the 1963 and 1964 campaigns. As a utility infielder, he spent a half-season with the Angels in 1965, then appeared in one full season and parts of three others for the Astros (1966–69). He retired from baseball after the 1971 minor-league season, which he spent at Triple-A in the Cardinals' organization. In 389 games played in the major leagues, Gotay collected 257 hits, with 38 doubles, three triples, six home runs and 70 RBI.^[2]

After retiring from baseball, he spent many years as a physical education teacher in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Gotay died from prostate cancer on July 4, 2008, at age 69 in Ponce.^{[citation needed]} He was buried at the Old Fajardo Municipal Cemetery. He was married to his wife, Silvia Irizarry, for 48 years. He had four children, Julio Gotay, Agustín Gotay, Irma Gotay, and Silvia Gotay.^[3]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)