Brubaker was scratched from his scheduled Grapefruit League start Monday against the Twins and is expected to open the season on the 15-day injured list while he deals with forearm/elbow discomfort, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.
The Pirates may send Brubaker in for an MRI in the coming days to get a full scope of his injury, but any elbow-related issue for a pitcher is usually a precursor to an IL stint beyond the minimum 15 days. Until Brubaker gets more tests, however, the Pirates are unlikely to offer up a precise timeline for his return. With Brubaker set to open the season on the shelf, Pittsburgh will likely turn to Johan Oviedo to fill the final spot in its rotation.