Julianna Zobrist seeking part of estranged husband Ben’s missed salary: report

Julianna Zobrist, the estranged wife of former Cubs player Ben Zobrist, is seeking an additional $4 million in a settlement because of salary forfeited when the former infielder took a leave of absence during the 2019 season.

According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, Julianna Zobrist claimed in court documents that Ben Zobrist failed “to preserve marital assets” by leaving the Cubs in 2019. Because of the leave, Ben earned only $4.5 million instead of the $12 million his contract called for.

Zobrist left the team to address marital problems.

The court document claims that Ben “essentially went from the top of his game to basically giving up, which caused a massive loss in income,” according to the Tribune report.

The claim is the latest in the couple’s public and contentious split.

Ben Zobrist has previously claimed Julianna was having an affair with their minister. He is suing the minister, Byron Yawn, for $6 million, claiming he defrauded Ben’s charity foundation.

Yawn also is a former pastor and elder at Community Bible Church in Nashville. In that position, Yawn met Zobrist and his wife, the former Julianna Gilmore, about 16 years ago. The Zobrists were married in 2005.