SANTA CLARA — This is the live blog for the 49ers’ Week 15 Thursday night game against the Los Angeles Rams. This will be updated frequently with information and analysis from the press box.

4:08 Here are the 49ers’ inactives: LT Trent Williams, RB Israel Abanikanda, CB Rock Ya-Sin, S Malik Mustapha, DT Khalil Davis and Q Joshua Dobbs.

4:09 Here are the Rams’ inactives: C Dylan McMahon, LB Brennan Jackson, RB Cody Schrader, CB Cobie Durant, QB Stetson Bennet.

4:10 Nick Bosa, Dre Greenlaw and Isaac Guerendo all will play tonight. Bosa played in the 49ers’ Week 3 loss to the Rams, but Greenlaw did not, so maybe his presence will make a difference. Talanoa Hufanga also didn’t play Week 3 and will start tonight, so he should help. But the key to the game for the 49ers will be pressuring Matthew Stafford. He’s an elite quarterback who can carve up the 49ers excellent secondary if he has time to throw. And he likes to step up in the pocket. So the 49ers have to get pressure in his face. When they’ve done that in the past, they’ve beaten him. Last week, the 49ers recorded six sacks on Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, but he’s not nearly as good as Stafford. Last time they faced him, they sacked him three times, which evidently wasn’t enough.

4:15 With so much at stake, expect an extremely hard-fought, low-scoring game. The rain should keep scoring down as well. Which means special teams could decide the winner. And the 49ers have perhaps the worst special teams in the league. I expect Jake Moody to miss one field goal and that will be the difference.

FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: 49ers 20, Rams 23.

5:13 The Rams win the toss and defer. The 49ers will receive the opening kickoff.

FIRST QUARTER

5:18 First play of the game, Ahkello Witherspoon breaks up a short pass intended for Deebo Samuel, and the 49ers eventually go 3 and out.

5:22 On 3rd and 14 from the Rams 25, Matthew Stafford forces a pass over the middle to Cooper Kupp and nearly gets intercepted by Deommodore Lenoir, who drops the ball, and the Rams go 3 and out. After the punt, the 49ers take over at their 26.

5:28 First play of the drive, George Kittle catches a 33-yard pass. So of course they never go back to him. On 3rd and 6 from the Rams 37, Brock Purdy hands off to Deebo Samuel who gains 2 yards. Terrible call. Then Jake Moody makes a 53-yard field goal.

49ers 3, Rams 0.

5:33 On 3rd and 3 from the Rams 41, Stafford throws a pass directly to Talanoa Hufanga who drops it because he has a cast on his hand, and the Rams go 3 and out. Horrible start for Stafford. Excellent start for the 49ers defense. After the punt, the 49ers take over at their 19.

5:36 First two plays of the drive go to Samuel who gains 6 yards total, and the 49ers go 3 and out. All these Deebo plays are wasted. What a mess. After the punt, the Rams take over at their 20.

5:41 On 3rd and 3 from the Rams 27, Stafford sails a pass over the head of Cooper Kupp, who wasn’t open. Charvarius Ward was all over him. And the Rams go 3 and out again. They have no first downs. After the punt, the 49ers take over at their 22.

5:45 On 3rd and 6 from midfield, Purdy holds the ball forever in the pocket, jumps and gets sacked. After the punt, the Rams take over at their 16. The rain is come down heavy right now.

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SAN FRANCISCO — A photojournalist who captured one of the most enduring images of World War II — the U.S. Marines raising the flag on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima — will have a block in downtown San Francisco named for him Thursday.

Joe Rosenthal, who died in 2006 at age 94, was working for The Associated Press in 1945 when he took the Pulitzer Prize-winning photo.

After the war, he went to work as a staff photographer for the San Francisco Chronicle, and for 35 years until his retirement in 1981, he captured moments of city life both extraordinary and routine.

Rosenthal photographed famous people for the paper, including a young Willie Mays getting his hat fitted as a San Francisco Giant in 1957, and regular people, including children making a joyous dash for freedom on the last day of school in 1965.

Tom Graves, chapter historian for the USMC Combat Correspondents Association, which pushed for the street naming, said it was a shame the talented and humble Rosenthal is known by most for just one photograph.

“From kindergarten to parades, to professional and amateur sports games, he was the hometown photographer,” he told the Chronicle. “I think that’s something that San Francisco should recognize and cherish.”

The 600 block of Sutter Street near downtown’s Union Square will become Joe Rosenthal Way. The Marines Memorial Club, which sits on the block, welcomes the street’s new name.

Rosenthal never considered himself a wartime hero, just a working photographer lucky enough to document the courage of soldiers.

When complimented on his Pulitzer Prize-winning photo, Rosenthal said: “Sure, I took the photo. But the Marines took Iwo Jima.”

Following efforts to try to replace All Star quality shortstop Brandon Crawford, the San Francisco Giants finally have their answer.

ESPN indicates the Giants have agreed to sign Willy Adames, a good hitting, right-handed hitter, to a seven-year, $182 million contract.

His contract calls for Adames to be paid $36 million until 2031, when he will be 36-years-old.

It is being reported that the new Adames contract includes a full no-trade clause.

Willie Adames will become the highest paid player on the Giants roster.

An international free agent from the Dominican Republic, the Detroit Tigers signed Adames in July 2012.

The Tigers gave Adames a signing bonus of $420,000.

In July 2014, the Tigers traded Adames to the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team deal that included the Tigers, the Seattle Mariners and the Rays.

The Rays traded Adames to the Milwaukee Brewers in May 2021.

Adames has completed parts of seven years in Major League Baseball, with the Giants becoming his fourth team.

Adames made his major league debut at the age of 22, when he was playing for the Rays.

Adames played for the Milwaukee Brewers for the past four seasons.

Adames, 29, will be looked upon to stabilize a Giants position that has been challenging to the team’s front office.

Adames is coming off a Brewers season when he hit 32 home runs, and drove in 112 runs.

Advantages Adames Brings The Giants:

The Giants have been challenged to find an impactful hitter for their lineup.

The Giants have had some outstanding pitching performances in recent years, but clutch hitting has not been a team strength.

Willy Adames addresses that need.

The Giants are adding a player at the shortstop position who is capable of hitting the ball to the gaps, or over the fence.

Adames is a streaky, but competent hitter.

When Adames is on one of his “hot” streaks, he can carry a team.

The Brewers will be hard pressed to replace those 32 homers from the shortstop position. Their loss will be a main gain for San Francisco.

The Giants can use the type of firepower Adames can bring to the middle of their lineup.

rosterresource.com lists Adames as the potential cleanup hitter in the Giants batting order.

For this old scout, the length of Adames’ new contract could be an issue. He could certainly struggle in the final few years of his deal.

Adames didn’t enjoy his best defensive season for the Brewers last year, and he won’t make fans forget the great Brandon Crawford.

But Adames should provide average major league quality shortstop play.

It is his offensive firepower that should endear Adames to Giants fans.

Especially when he gets on one of his hot streaks.

What About Marco Luciano?

In July 2018, the Giants gave 16-year-old Marco Luciano a hefty $2.6 million international signing bonus.

Signed out of the Dominican Republic, Luciano was considered to be among the very best free agent infielders in the international class.

Luciano was projected as the Giants shortstop of the future.

The Giants have a huge financial investment in Luciano.

The Giants have been patient with Luciano, who is still just 23-years-old.

MLBPipeline.com listed Luciano as the No. 2 Giants prospect last season, behind only pitcher Kyle Harrison.

In 2023, MLBpipeline.com listed Luciano as the No. 1 Giants prospect.

Quite simply, Luciano struggled with major league pitching in 2024, when he was given an opportunity to win the team’s starting shortstop role.

Last season, Luciano appeared in 27 games for the Giants, collecting 81 plate appearances. He struck out in 28 of those at-bats, walking five times.

In that 2024 season, Luciano hit .211/.259/.303/.562, with five doubles, one triple, no home runs, and three RBIs. He did not steal a base, being caught once.

Compounding Luciano’s offensive struggles, his defense was less than what is expected from a starting shortstop.

Luciano’s throws from shortstop were not always accurate, and he made some errors early in the season.

The Giants gave Luciano some playing time at second base, but they have now decided to sign Willy Adames and turn their fortunes at shortstop to their newly signed free agent.

A good athlete, Luciano might get looks in the outfield.

Looking Ahead:

The Giants have been in the market for the type of player or players that can add impact to their 26-man roster.

The Giants have indicated a willingness to spend money, and improve their team.

Under new President of Baseball Operations, Buster Posey, roster upgrades may become a reality.

The reported agreement with shortstop Willy Adames adds a dimension of potentially increased offensive production to the Giants lineup.