Brown was scratched from his Grapefruit League start against the Mets on Wednesday due to lower-back tightness, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 24-year-old is penciled in as Houston's No. 5 starter to begin the season, but he won't make what was supposed to be his final start of spring training Wednesday due to the back issue. Brown's availability for the Opening Day rotation is now in question, which is another potential blow to a Houston rotation that is already starting the campaign without Lance McCullers (forearm).