ST. PETERSBURG -- Catcher Michael Perez (left hamstring strain) will not play again for the Rays this season.
"I think Mikie, probably his season has come to an end, which is unfortunate," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "Fluke play that happened. And I think we all, himself included, thought he would be back in shorter time. But for whatever reason, [that] hasn't responded."
Perez got injured in Atlanta on a play at the plate in an Aug. 28 game against the Braves. He went on the disabled list on Aug. 31.
"He went down and played in a game in Port Charlotte [on Monday]," Cash said. "Running to first base, he got down to first base, but probably not in the most timely fashion. And the last thing we want to do is re-injure something where he goes into the offseason set back. Right now, he's going to go into the offseason, basically clear."
The Rays acquired Perez, along with Minor-League right-hander Brian Shaffer, in a July 25 trade that sent Matt Andriese to the Diamondbacks. Perez then joined the Rays, beginning his first stint in the Major Leagues.
Cash told reporters the Rays like what they've seen of Perez, who will finish his first Major League season at .284 with a home run and 11 RBIs in 24 games.

"We'd like to see more, for sure, but how can you not [like the way he played]," Cash said. "He really did a good job of understanding, learning our pitchers. Just very athletic behind the plate, the throwing, the blocking, the receiving. And the bat was a bright surprise. ... He had a lot of good at-bats. Not at any point did he look over matched. And for a guy who never had any Major League experience, that's pretty impressive."
When asked if Perez would be in the catching conversation for the 2019 season, Cash answered, "Oh, yeah."
"There's still stuff, probably, to be learned about him," Cash said. "And we'll probably get to know him a little more during Spring Training. But he couldn't have done, I don't think he could have made a better impression in the time that he was healthy."