Chicago Cubs World Series MVP Alleges Wife Had Sexual Affair with Pastor Who Provided The Couple Marriage Counseling
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Ben Zobrist made dreams come true with a curse-breaking hit that helped win the 2016 Major League Baseball World Series for the Chicago Cubs. But in a recent lawsuit, he detailed what seems more like a nightmare, alleging his wife Julianna Zobrist had a sexual relationship with a former Tennessee pastor.
According to The Chicago Tribune, Zobrist is seeking $6 million in damages against the family’s former pastor Byron Yawn. The lawsuit alleges Yawn defrauded Zobrist’s charity foundation, in addition to the affair. The former minister worked for Zobrist’s charity and was compensated as their executive director.
Yawn, who was a pastor at Community Bible Church in Nashville, served as the Zobrist’s pre- and post-marital counselor. Zobrist claims his wife and Yawn started talking more in 2018, and began their sexual relationship in 2019. The baseball star also sought counseling from Yawn in 2007, 2016 and 2017, during bouts of anxiety and depression.
Julianna Zobrist is a Christian pop singer, who has performed the national anthem at several Cubs games and also sung God Bless America during the 2016 World Series at Wrigley Field.
The 2016 World Series MVP was alerted of the alleged affair by Yawn’s wife, who found burner cell phones used to contact Julianna. Zobrist filed for divorce in May 2019, and his wife later admitted to the relationship in June 2020 during legal proceedings. The same month he filed for divorce, Zobrist took a leave of absence from Major League Baseball and the Cubs, returning to the field in September to conclude his playing career.
Zobrist released a book in 2014, co-authored with Julianna, where the former MLB All-Star detailed battles with anxiety and depression so fierce that he almost quit baseball early in his career. In the book, Zobrist’s wife also opened up about being sexually molested by a group of boys at church camp when she was just 12 years old.
A two-time World Series champion, Zobrist’s MLB career extended from 2006-2019, earning the utility player more than $86 million in salary.
