Ex-Boston Red Sox slugger David 'Big Papi' Ortiz sells Miami home for $11million

Former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz has sold the five bedroom Florida mansion he built with his ex-wife for a record-breaking $11 million.

The 10,200-square-foot home has been bought by an unnamed buyer moving from Boston down to the Miami area. It is not known whether the buyer is a fan, and Ortiz’s legacy factored into the purchase. 

Ortiz, 47, bought the plot in Pinecrest, 11 miles from downtown Miami, in 2016 for $1.5 million with his then-wife, Tiffany.

The pair filed for divorce in December 2020 after 25 years together and have two children: a son, D’Angelo, an 18-year-old rising baseball star, and a daughter Alexandra, 22. 

The Ortizes completed the home in 2019.

It was listed for $12.5 million in February by Michael Martinez of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty.

David Ortiz, 47, built the house in 2019 on a plot of land south of Miami he bought with his then-wife, Tiffany, for $1.5 million

David Ortiz, 47, built the house in 2019 on a plot of land south of Miami he bought with his then-wife, Tiffany, for $1.5 million

The house was listed for $12.5 million in February, and has now sold for $10.95 million - a record for the neighborhood

The house was listed for $12.5 million in February, and has now sold for $10.95 million – a record for the neighborhood

The home boasts a lounge with a bar used to display sports memorabilia. 

There is an eight-seat theater with a bar, and a light-up ceiling designed to imitate stars in the night sky. 

The grounds, around one acre, feature a swimming pool, a garage, a gazebo, three fire pits and multiple water features. 

The property features a lounge area which was used as a trophy room

The property features a lounge area which was used as a trophy room

The house has a swimming pool and multiple water features, all surrounded by landscaped gardens and palm trees

The house has a swimming pool and multiple water features, all surrounded by landscaped gardens and palm trees

The home is designed for entertaining, with expansive terraces and outdoor living areas

The home is designed for entertaining, with expansive terraces and outdoor living areas

The suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows letting in the tropical light

The suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows letting in the tropical light

Ortiz lived in the house with his wife Tiffany and their children D'Angelo, now 18, and Alexandra, now 22

Ortiz lived in the house with his wife Tiffany and their children D’Angelo, now 18, and Alexandra, now 22

The house features a theatre with a lighting system designed to look like the night sky

The house features a theatre with a lighting system designed to look like the night sky

The home cinema is lined with film posters and memorabilia

The home cinema is lined with film posters and memorabilia

The bathroom features a vast free-standing bath tub and a walk-in shower

The bathroom features a vast free-standing bath tub and a walk-in shower

The house is secluded and protected by a thick wall of trees: other locals include Marc Anthony and Lamar Odom

The house is secluded and protected by a thick wall of trees: other locals include Marc Anthony and Lamar Odom

The marble-clad kitchen has a professional-standard range and a large island with a sink

The marble-clad kitchen has a professional-standard range and a large island with a sink

Ortiz pictured with his former wife, Tiffany, in 2016. The couple announced in December 2021 that they were divorcing

Ortiz pictured with his former wife, Tiffany, in 2016. The couple announced in December 2021 that they were divorcing 

Ortiz spent most of his career at the Boston Red Sox, where he was their designated hitter. 

He made international headlines in April 2013 in the wake of the Boston Marathon Bombing when he declared to the crowd: ‘This is our f***ing city, and nobody is going to dictate our freedom. Stay strong.’ 

This year, Ortiz reflected on the speech in an interview with the Associated Press.

‘You know what, 10 years later I can tell you about the impact of what I say (had),’ Ortiz said Sunday. ‘To be honest with you, I’m so proud it was taken that way. You don’t know, sometimes somebody needs to push that button. I think I did. 

‘Right now, I can tell you, the feedback coming from the people worldwide from everywhere I go. I did something good and I’m pretty proud of it.’ 

On retiring he joined Fox Sports as a commentator.

In June 2019, Ortiz was ambushed by a man who got off a motorcycle and shot him in the back at close range while he was at a bar with friends in a well-off neighborhood of Santo Domingo.

Two men, including the alleged shooter Rolfi Ferreyra Cruz, were each sentenced to 30 years in prison by Santo Domingo’s First Collegiate Court.

A private investigator hired by Ortiz found out the star was targeted by a Dominican drug trafficker who was jealous of him. 

The findings by former Boston police commissioner Edward Davis contradicted a previous theory by law enforcement in the Dominican Republic that the hitman was actually hired to shoot Ortiz’s cousin Sixto David Fernandez, who was sitting at the same table. 

It is not known why Ortiz, who now works for Fox Sports, is selling the house

It is not known why Ortiz, who now works for Fox Sports, is selling the house

Arriving at the house, the garage is to the left and the fountain-flanked walkway ahead

Arriving at the house, the garage is to the left and the fountain-flanked walkway ahead

The house was built in 2019, and is spectacular when seen at night

The house was built in 2019, and is spectacular when seen at night

It sits in one acre of grounds and the sale marks a new record for the district

It sits in one acre of grounds and the sale marks a new record for the district

It is unclear why Ortiz is selling his palatial house.

Other famous faces living in the neighborhood include singer Marc Anthony and former Los Angeles Lakers player Lamar Odom.

The previous record for Pinecrest was set in 2022, when Miami Heat player Tyler Herro’s home sold for $10.5 million.

Homes in Pinecrest sold for a median $2.975 million in April, up 24 percent from the same time last year, as the number of home sales fell 38.7 percent in the same period, according to Redfin. 

source: dailymail.co.uk