named a starting pitcher on Baseball America'''s 2004 minor league all-star team and was selected by the White Sox as their minor league player of the year. He received a non roster invitation to major league spring training in 2005 and Baseball America'' ranked him as the Sox #3 prospect and with the best control in the system entering the season. He began the season in Triple-A with the Charlotte Knights of the International League where he made 19 starts and was 7–7 with a 4.00 ERA. Major leagues Chicago White Sox McCarthy made his major league debut on May 22, 2005, as a spot starter for the White Sox, allowing two runs in innings, in a game against the Chicago Cubs. He picked up his first win when he pitched scoreless innings against the Texas Rangers in the second game of a double-header on August 30. He pitched in 12 games (10 starts) with the club, going 3–2, but did not pitch in the postseason as the White Sox went on to win the World Series. He earned a permanent spot on the team as a reliever in 2006, appearing in 53 games while making a few spot starts. He finished the season 4–7 with a 4.68 ERA in innings. Texas Rangers On December 23, 2006, McCarthy and minor leaguer David Paisano were traded to the Texas Rangers for John Danks, Nick Masset and Jake Rasner. He endured an injury-plagued season in his first year for the Rangers (and his first full year as a starter) in 2007, most notably dealing with a stress fracture in his right shoulder blade that kept him sidelined for nearly 2 months. He finished the season with a 5–10 record with a 4.87 ERA in 22 starts. In 2008, as he developed inflammation in his right elbow during spring training. He began rehabbing between July and August and finished the season making 5 starts for the Rangers. After opening the 2009 season in the rotation, McCarthy went on to pitch 17 starts in a row before undergoing surgery in July. He missed the remainder of the season. He missed the whole 2010 season recovering from the surgery on his right shoulder, though he did make 11 rehab starts in the minor leagues, going 4–2. Oakland Athletics After being outrighted by the Rangers, McCarthy signed as a free agent with the Oakland Athletics on