Early life

McCarthy was born and raised in Glendale, California. McCarthy graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2001.

McCarthy was drafted in the 17th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft by the Chicago White Sox.

Minor leagues

In the minor leagues in 2003, McCarthy posted impressive stats and showed excellent control, pitching 101 innings, striking out 125 batters, and walking only 15 batters. In 2004, he led all minor league pitchers in strikeouts, with 202.

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 5 1/3 innings, in a game against the Chicago Cubs. He picked up his first win when he pitched 7 2/3 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 in 84.2 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 a 5-10 record in 22 starts.

In 2008, as he developed inflammation in his right elbow during spring training. He began rehabbing between July & 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 December 14, 2010 for one year and $1 million. As part of the starting pitcher rotation for the Athletics in 2011, McCarthy strengthened his mechanics and had his most productive major league season, pitching twenty-five games, five complete. He adapted his pitch repertoire to emphasize two-seam fastballs and cutters, which helped increase his ground-ball percentage and lower his home-run rate while developing control and limiting walks allowed. McCarthy finished the year with the lowest FIP among American League starters. He signed a one-year contract worth $4.275 million with the Athletics for the 2012 season, avoiding salary arbitration.

McCarthy was the Athletics opening day starter for the 2012 season. On September 5, he took a line drive to the head off the bat of Erick Aybar of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. McCarthy subsequently underwent surgery for 2 hours to relieve cranial pressure after CT scans revealed he had suffered an epidural hemorrhage, a brain contusion, and a skull fracture. While he did not pitch again that season, he recovered well enough to join his teammates in the dugout as a spectator during their postseason run. He was 8-6 in 18 starts for the Athletics in 2012.

Arizona Diamondbacks

On December 7, 2012, the Arizona Diamondbacks signed McCarthy to a 2-year $15.5 million contract. In June, while on the disabled list for continued shoulder problems, McCarthy experienced a seizure related to his head injury the previous year. He was placed on medication and expected to return to pitch as his shoulder allowed. In his first season in the National League and with the Diamondbacks, McCarthy finished 5-11 with 2 complete games in 22 starts. He started 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA in 18 starts for the Diamondbacks in 2014.

New York Yankees

On July 6, 2014, the New York Yankees acquired McCarthy from the Diamondbacks in exchange for Vidal Nuño. The Yankees had McCarthy resume the use of his cut fastball, which the Diamondbacks had him stop using, while decreasing the use of his sinker. On September 17, 2014, he pitched an immaculate inning, striking out all three batters in the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays throwing only nine pitches, becoming the 77th pitcher to do so in the history of Major League Baseball. In 14 starts for the Yankees he was 7-5 with a 2.89 ERA.

Los Angeles Dodgers

On December 16, 2014, McCarthy and the Los Angeles Dodgers signed a four-year contract worth $48 million. However, on April 27, 2015 McCarthy was placed on the disabled list after he felt tightness in his right elbow in a start against the San Diego Padres and was diagnosed with a torn UCL. He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery on April 30, 2015. In four starts before his injury, he was 3-0 with a 5.87 ERA.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]