Back in late 2018, former professional baseball pitcher James Shields—aka Big Game James—and his wife, photographer Ryane Nicole, doled out $1.8 million for a vacant lot in the affluent community of Rancho Santa Fe, about 25 miles north of downtown San Diego. Serendipitously, it just happened to be shaped like a baseball diamond.

The couple went on to spend the next three years designing and building a sprawling resort-like retreat decked out with a gym, a photography studio, a golf simulator, a bowling alley, a safe room, and a putting green. Now, after a nearly eight-year stay, they have tossed the personally curated residence back on the market for $23 million, with Eric Iantorno and Pilar Meza of Compass holding the listing.

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Completed in 2022, the striking “California Modern Organic” structure rests beyond a double-gated driveway amid a tree-laced parcel spanning almost 2.5 acres in the gated Roxbury Estates enclave near the Rancho Santa Fe Farms and Black Mountain Ranch communities. Inside, five bedrooms, five full bathrooms, and three powder rooms are filtered across roughly 13,500 square feet, with an advanced automation system controlling the sound, climate, and security.

Pocketing steel-framed glass doors off a private courtyard open into the residence, which is introduced via a soaring great room showcasing a linear fireplace and more glass doors opening out to a shaded terrace with a barbecue station. An adjacent dining area connects to a kitchen equipped with Viking appliances and an eat-in island that has built-in pasta pull-outs, while a secluded primary suite sports its own sauna and steam room.

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The serene grounds are dotted with oak and olive trees, citrus groves, and lavender plantings and host a swimming pool with a Baja Shelf and a spa, along with a fireside sitting area and an expansive deck for alfresco lounging and entertaining. There’s also a separate storage barn, plus an attached six-car garage and additional parking for up to 30 vehicles.

A California native, Shields was originally drafted in the 16th round of the 2000 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Santa Clarita’s Canyon High School by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and made his MLB debut with the team in 2006, where his durability and postseason performances earned him the nickname Big Game James. After six seasons, he went on to play for the Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, and Chicago White Sox before retiring in 2018.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the couple has decided to sell because they want to spend more time in Idaho, where they have horses and own several properties they plan to develop. “It came sooner than we wanted,” Shields said, but “we feel like we’re ready to evolve into the next project.”

Click here for more photos of the Rancho Santa Fe residence.