Red Sox, Barely Above .500, Fire McNamara

The Boston Red Sox, nine games out of first place in the American League East at the All-Star break, Thursday fired Manager John McNamara and named third-base coach Joe Morgan, 57, as interim manager.

McNamara, the Red Sox manager for 3 1/2 seasons, was dismissed before Thursday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals, which was rained out. The Red Sox were 43-42 starting the second half of the season.

McNamara, former manager of San Diego and Cincinnati in the National League, and Oakland and the Angels in the American League, has a career managerial record of 1,048-1,078, including this season. His career record in the American League is 545-524.

McNamara, 56, was named the team’s manager Oct. 18, 1984, and he compiled a 297-273 record with the Red Sox.

“We felt we needed to get a different sense of leadership to try to turn things around,” said General Manager Lou Gorman, who will launch an immediate search for a permanent manager.

He said Morgan, who is not the former Cincinnati Reds star, would be considered along with others, including Ed Nottle, manager of the team’s International League triple-A team in Pawtucket, R.I.