Curt Schilling's injury may end career: report

Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling reportedly has a "significant" shoulder injury that could jeopardize his career.

The Boston Herald reported Thursday that Schilling's rotator cuff or labrum is so badly damaged that he requires surgery.

Schilling, 41, planned to make this his final major-league season, meaning the surgery and the time needed to recover from it would likely end his career.

According to the published report, the Red Sox have looked into whether they can void the one-year, $8-million US contract he signed last Nov. 7.

The pact contains an additional $5 million US in performance incentives, effectively matching Schilling's salary last season.

Schilling posted a 9-8 record with a 3.87 earned-run average in 24 starts last season, his 20th in the majors.

More importantly, he went 3-0 in four playoff starts as Boston won its second World Series in four years and seventh overall.

Schilling pitched the Red Sox past the Colorado Rockies 2-1 in Game 2 of the World Series, improving to 4-1 lifetime in seven World Series starts and 11-2 in post-season play.

Schilling is 213-142 with a 3.46 ERA, 83 complete games, 22 saves and 20 shutouts in 560 MLB appearances (427 starts) for the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks and Red Sox.

A six-time all-star, he was named the most valuable player of the 1993 National League Championship Series with Philadelphia, and shared MVP honours with Randy Johnson in the 2001 World Series — won by Arizona in seven games over the New York Yankees.

Schilling was equally instrumental in Boston's World Series triumph of 2004, when it swept the St. Louis Cardinals.