When 2X WS champion Ben Zobrist filed a lawsuit against his pastor alleging infidelity with the former outfielder's wife
Former second baseman and outfielder Ben Zobrist was a star player on the field, but his marriage was a rocky ride. The two-time World Series champion once filed a lawsuit against his pastor, Byron Yawn, alleging infedility with his wife.
In a complaint obtained by E! News in 2021, Zobrist claimed that beginning in August 2018, Byron began communicating "every day" with author and motivational speaker Julianna.
"Unbeknownst to (Ben), in September 2018, during the time that he was providing pastoral counseling to (Ben), (Byron) also began secretly pursuing an intimate relationship with (Ben's) wife," the lawsuit read.
He claimed that in the spring of 2019, when "when he began meeting her for sex," their "romantic involvement" intensified. Byron and Julianna were charged with using "burner phones" to converse covertly in the complaint.
Ben's legal team asserted that Byron "exploited" their counseling sessions together to persuade the athlete to "give his wife some space" by using "deceptive" language. The lawsuit asserts that he furthered Julianna's unlawful relationship by using private therapy information to "further cement his illicit relationship."
In 2019, Ben requested Julianna's divorce. Zion, 12, Kruse, 9, and Blaise, 5, are the children of the separated parents. Byron's wife, Robin, filed for divorce in June 2020, and he followed suit in July 2020.
Ben Zobrist: two-time World Series champion
Zobrist participated in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, and Tampa Bay Rays. In the three World Series he participated in, Zobrist won the last two, becoming a winner in successive years with the Royals in 2015 and the Cubs in 2016. In the latter, he was also named World Series MVP.
Ben Zobrist: 4th player to win back-to-back World Series titles in different leagues in which he played in WS for each title-winning team. https://t.co/omBU0Npr8X
"Ben Zobrist: 4th player to win back-to-back World Series titles in different leagues in which he played in WS for each title-winning team," ESPN Stats & Info tweeted.
Jon Heyman said in February 2020 that Zobrist would not be participating in the 2020 season. On March 6, Zobrist announced his retirement and expressed his willingness to work with the Cubs in a non-playing position in the future.
There were reports that Zobrist's separation from his wife led to him not participating in the 2019 MLB season.