FAS. Throughout the 2014 season, McCarty anchored the midfield during their run to the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals where they ultimately fell to the New England Revolution. At the end of the season, McCarty was nominated for Goal of the Year, for his chip from outside the box against Bobby Shuttleworth and the Revolution on August 2. In December 2014, the Red Bulls turned down a large trade offer (multiple draft picks and allocation money) for McCarty from expansion club, Orlando City. McCarty was named captain of New York on March 8, 2015, by the club's new coach, Jesse Marsch. During his first season as captain, McCarty appeared in a career-high 39 matches in all competitions and recorded another career-high with eight assists. His partnerships with Sacha Kljestan and Felipe helped form one of the strongest midfield trios in the league and helped lead New York to the 2015 MLS Supporters' Shield. McCarty and the front office met with season ticket holders at a town hall meeting on September 2 in a way to build an even stronger relationship with the fanbase and address concerns. On November 1, 2015, McCarty scored the lone goal for New York in a 1–0 victory over former club and rival D.C. United in the first leg of the MLS Cup Playoff Seminfinals. The match also wrote McCarty's name in the record books as he tied the club record for most playoff starts with 12. He would go on to break that record the following week with a start against his former club, D.C. United. Strong performances throughout the 2015 season, landed McCarty his first all-star appearance as well as his first appearance on Major League Soccer's Best XI of the season. During the 2016 preseason, McCarty signed a new multi-year deal with the club on January 8. The terms of the deal were not disclosed as per MLS' league policy. McCarty was named alongside Darlington Nagbe as ESPN's most underrated player in MLS, even after earning MLS All-Star recognition during the previous season. On May 21, McCarty scored two goals in the Red Bulls 7–0 victory against New York City FC in the Hudson River Derby. It was the first two-goal game in his career. The following week against Toronto FC, McCarty became the second player in club history to make 150 league starts. McCarty fractured his tibia on July 31 against the Chicago