mets set for ces opt-out

CHICAGO — The Mets remain braced for Yoenis Cespedes to make his move.

The star outfielder holds an opt out from his contract and has made it clear to Mets officials in recent weeks, through his representatives, that he intends to exercise that clause and become a free agent.

Reports Wednesday night reiterated that likely outcome, but nothing will become official until three days after the World Series concludes, when Cespedes’ camp must notify the Mets if the player is opting out.

Cespedes has two years and $47.5 million remaining on the deal he signed with the Mets last winter, but will be staring at a substantially higher guaranteed payout on the free-agent market.

The Mets remain interested in retaining Cespedes, according to industry sources, but at the right price. The expectation is the Mets will take the same tactic with Cespedes as last offseason, when they waited out the market and resigned him for fewer guaranteed years than he originally sought.

It is unclear if the Mets and Cespedes’ representatives have engaged in serious negotiations since the season concluded, but the industry expectation is Cespedes will use Justin Upton’s contract from last offseason as a framework.

Upton, who is two years younger than the 31-year-old Cespedes, received $132.75 million from the Tigers, albeit over six years.

Cespedes, after a season in which he posted .280/.354/.530 slash line with 31 homers and 86 RBIs, figures to seek a deal in the same ballpark in terms of guaranteed dollars, but likely fewer years.

The market for power-hitting corner outfielders is lean, helping Cespedes’ cause. Of course, it was widely assumed last offseason Cespedes would receive an offer far superior to the three-year deal worth $75 million (with the opt out) he eventually accepted from the Mets. But at the time he signed his only other known offer was for five years and $110 million from the Nationals (with much of the money deferred, lowering the present-day value of the contract).

Cespedes has indicated he enjoys playing for the Mets, but declined to speak with reporters following the team’s loss to the Giants in the NL wild-card game this month.

Cespedes later was asked by The Post if he expected to return. “I hope,” he said. The Mets acquired Cespedes at the trade deadline in 2015 — in a deal that sent stud pitching prospect Michael Fulmer to the Tigers — and watched him carry the club to the NL pennant. Cespedes battled leg injuries for much of the 2016 season, and his August absence for a disabled-list stint had a big impact on the lineup.

But Cespedes returned, along with Asdrubal Cabrera, among others, and the Mets went 27-13 over the final six weeks to clinch the wild card.